Perforated Meckel's diverticulum containing a carcinoid tumor successfully treated by the laparoscopic approach: Case report

Abstract

Mekel's diverticulum is a gastrointestinal malformation. Occurs in one of every 40 patients. It is usually asymptomatic whereas complications can be developed in 2% to 4%. The report is based on a 41-year old male, who attended to emergency, complaining of right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Blood tests showed high level of inflammatory markers. With acute appendicitis as presumptive diagnosis, laparoscopy was performed. The intraoperative findings were: a perforated Mekel's diverticulum with normal cecal appendix. Mechanical diverticular resection was made. The patient was successfully recovered from surgery. Histopathology examination showed: Meckel's diverticulum perforated with acute inflammation and neuroendocrine tumor (G1) pT1. Mekel's diverticulum is rarely affected by inflammatory complications and just few cases are associated with tumors. However, has ever been described before, coexisting both situations, being our patient the first reported with this exceptional clinical presentation, and treated successfully by laparoscopic approach.

Keywords

• Carcinoid tumor
• gastrointestinal malformation
• laparoscopy
• Mekel's diverticulum