[A rare cause of neonatal occlusion by a palpable abdominal mass: Meckel's diverticulum]

The authors report an unusual case of newborn obstruction by Meckel's diverticulum. Symptoms were repeated vomiting and a rounded mass was palpated in right lower quadrant. This mass looked like a fecalith on X Rays which also showed dilated gas filled loops of intestine. A barium enema showed no trouble of rotation, a good filling of last loops of small bowel, then a large kind of pocket, filled from the bowel. Operation discovered a huge (6 x 5 cm) Meckel's diverticulum compressing small intestine and pushing the cecum towards the upper quadrant. Treatment was ileal resection followed by end to end anastomosis. A very few newborn obstructions by Meckel's diverticulum were published; mechanisms are intussusception, volvulus, herniation. No similar case as reported was found in literature.