Small Bowel Obstruction due to a Giant Meckel's Diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, with an average length of 3 cm. Complications occur in 6.4% and most commonly include inflammation and gastrointestinal bleeding. Preoperative diagnosis is demanding and achieved in 4%.

CASE REPORT: A 34-year-old otherwise healthy patient presented with an acute abdomen due to small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography scan could not identify the underlying cause. Emergency laparotomy was performed, and a torqued giant Meckel's diverticulum measuring 17 cm was found as the underlying cause for the small bowel obstruction. Resection of the affected ileum segment and ileo-ileal reconstruction were performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.

CONCLUSION: In extremely rare cases, small bowel obstruction in an otherwise healthy patient might be caused by torsion of a symptomatic giant Meckel's diverticulum.