Laparoscopic treatment of Meckel's diverticulum perforation caused by a chicken bone. A case report

We describe an uncommon case of a Meckel's diverticulum perforation by a chicken bone in a patient with symptoms of acute appendicitis. Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract. The incidence is approximately 2% of the population. Most patients are asymptomatic, only 4-16% presenting complications, including bleeding, obstruction, and diverticulitis. The perforation due to a foreign body is a very infrequent complication and may have a bad prognosis in case of a delayed diagnosis. Only in a few cases, a careful evaluation of the CT scan leads to correct preoperative diagnosis. Definitive treatment is surgical intervention and should not be delayed in patients with peritonitis. Laparoscopy is a safe diagnostic and therapeutic tool to treat complicated Meckel's diverticulum. In our case, a stapled laparoscopic diverticulectomy has been performed with an excellent outcome. KEY WORDS: Laparoscopy, Meckel's diverticulum, Perforation.

We describe an uncommon case of a Meckel’s diverticulum perforation by a chicken bone in a patient with symptoms of acute appendicitis. Meckel’s diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract. The incidence is approximately 2% of the population. Most patients are asymptomatic, only 4-16% presenting complications, including bleeding, obstruction, and diverticulitis. The perforation due to a foreign body is a very infrequent complication and may have a bad prognosis in case of a delayed diagnosis. Only in a few cases, a careful evaluation of the CT scan leads to correct preoperative diagnosis. Definitive treatment is surgical intervention and should not be delayed in patients with peritonitis. Laparoscopy is a safe diagnostic and therapeutic tool to treat complicated Meckel’s diverticulum. In our case, a stapled laparoscopic diverticulectomy has been performed with an excellent outcome.