Occult bleeding from giant small-bowel diverticula

Two cases of occult intestinal blood loss due to giant ileal diverticula are described. In one of them, ectopic gastric mucosa was found at microscopic dissection. In the other that was probably originating from a blind loop formation at a previous operation, multiple mucosal erosions, probably due to retained bowel contents, were considered responsible for the blood loss. Though giant diverticula are rare throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and usually cause symptoms other than bleeding, the importance of a careful search for this malformation in children with occult faecal blood loss is stressed.