ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Among Meckel's diverticulum (MD), the 'Giant' category is relatively rare. Most Giant MDs lead to complications such as torsion and diverticulitis. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 20-year-old South Asian male presented with a three-day history of vomiting and left-sided abdominal pain. X-ray and ultrasound scan of the abdomen illustrated features of small bowel obstruction. He underwent laparotomy under general anaesthesia. A gangrenous, axially torsed 25-cm Giant MD with concurrent ileal compression by a mesodiverticular band was detected and diverticulectomy and segmental resection with end-to-end anastomosis of the ileum was performed. Histology revealed ectopic gastric and pancreatic tissue. He had an uneventful postoperative stay and was devoid of any surgery-related complications at one-year follow-up. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Adults mainly present with bowel obstruction following complicated MDs. Multiple mechanisms have been elaborated as causalities of bowel obstruction where the presence of bands of congenital or inflammatory origin, intussusception, and enteroliths are relatively common. The presence of ectopic tissue in MDs is associated with increased complications. Symptomatic MDs need resection to abate future complications such as haemorrhage and obstruction. CONCLUSION: Despite the low diagnostic potential of clinical examination and radiological studies, a high degree of suspicion is warranted in cases of probable MD-resultant complications, where more common aetiologies have been ruled out, as delay in diagnosis and definitive surgical therapy are invariably associated with worsened morbidity and mortality. It is high time to elucidate related demographics and clinical data on Giant MDs to identify high-risk categories and develop safer follow-up protocols.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Foreign body-induced perforations of the ileum are rare consequences among adults. PRESENTATION OF CASE: This is a case report of a delayed presentation of an ileal perforation and concurrent faecal peritonitis presented as an acute abdomen, resultant from an ingested fishbone, which led to fatality despite urgent laparotomy. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Perforations following ingested foreign bodies are frequently unanticipated clinically, and diagnosed during advanced imaging studies or surgical interventions. Endoscopy, laparoscopy, and laparotomy have been used during surgical management in reported cases; however, prior early identification is pivotal for good outcomes as delayed presentations and delayed diagnosis carry a poorer prognosis. CONCLUSION: Despite fish bones being frequent foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract and the majority causing no life-threatening adverse effects, they are the leading foreign bodies instigating gastrointestinal perforations. A high degree of suspicion is required when attending to patients with suspected gastrointestinal perforations and absent typical findings in routine imaging, where fish bones could be the aetiology.
