[Meckel's diverticulum and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Problems of preoperative diagnosis]

A hitherto perfectly healthy 28-year-old man suddenly passed stools containing bright red blood, and haemoglobin concentration fell at first to 10.1 g/dl. No bleeding source was found on gastroscopy and coloscopy. Nor was the source found by enteroclysis during a bleeding-free interval. Emergency laparotomy was performed after a recurrence of massive bleeding and revealed, 60 cm oral of the ileocaecal (Bauhin's) valve, a Meckel's diverticulum with ulcerated heterotopic gastric mucosa, 5 x 3 x 2 cm in size, and this was resected. 17 red blood cell concentrates had to be infused pre- and postoperatively, but there were no further complications.