Catastrophic Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Always Consider Meckel’s Diverticulum

Meckel’s diverticulum, a congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract, is asymptomatic in the majority of patients but can be associated with some complications. Gastrointestinal bleeding is one such complication and is more common in children than in adults. Despite the variety of examinations available, diagnosis can be difficult, especially in older patients, because the sensitivity of examinations decreases with patient age. Here we present the case of a young man with gastrointestinal bleeding in whom a diagnosis of Meckel’s diverticulum was made intra-operatively. LEARNING POINTS: Meckel’s diverticulum is more commonly found in children than in adults and can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnosis of Meckel’s diverticulum can be complicated, especially in adults because the sensitivity of examinations decreases with patient age. Despite appropriate diagnostic evaluation, Meckel’s diverticulum is sometimes only diagnosed at surgery.