[Acute abdomen caused by inflammation of a Meckel's diverticulum containing a stone]

Meckel's diverticula have a prevalence of approx. 2% in the population. About 90% of them are clinically inapparent. Usual complications are a perforation of ectopic gastric mucosa (possibly with intestinal bleeding), an invagination and a volvulus. Etiology is normally revealed only by surgical exploration. Calculi are rarely found in Meckel's diverticula, males being afflicted much more often than females. The enterolith consists of calcified residues of food. Unexplained abdominal symptoms with an ileus situation should also be considered a Meckel's diverticulum containing enteroliths. This is especially so, if there are unidentified calcifications visible on the abdominal X-ray.