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A massive bleeding from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of a Meckel’s diverticulum

May 2016
Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 144(3-4):219-221

May 2016
144(3-4):219-221

DOI:10.2298/SARH1604219C

License
CC BY-NC 4.0

Authors:

Mariusz Chabowski

4 Szpital Wojskowy z Polikliniką we Wrocławiu

Anna Szymańska-Chabowska

Wroclaw Medical University

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Introduction. Meckel’s diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastro intestinal tract, present in about 2% of population. Case Outline. The article presents the case of a 44-year-old otherwise healthy man with anemia, who was diagnosed lower gastrointestinal bleeding. An abdominal CT scan revealed a clearly demarcated solid tumor in hypogastric region, measuring 65 Ч 45 mm. A laparotomy through lower midline incision was performed. A surgical resection of a lesion of a Meckel’s diverticulum was carried out and a final diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor was made. The patient made an uneventful recovery. Conclusion. The preoperative diagnosis of a complicated Meckel’s diverticulum may be challenging. CT is usually an adequate method to diagnose tumors arising from Meckel’s diverticulum.

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219

Srp Arh Celok Lek. 2016 Mar-Apr;144(3-4):219-221 DOI: 10.2298/SARH1604219C

ПРИКАЗ БОЛЕСНИКА / CASE REPORT UDC: 616.33-006-005.1

Correspondence to:

Mariusz CHABOWSKI

Dept. of Surgery

4th Military Teaching Hospital

5 Weigla Street

50-981 Wroclaw

Poland

mariusz.chabowski@gmail.com

SUMMARY

Introduction Meckel’s diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastro intestinal

tract, present in about 2% of population.

Case Outline The article presents the case of a 44-year-old otherwise healthy man with anemia, who was

diagnosed lower gastrointestinal bleeding. An abdominal CT scan revealed a clearly demarcated solid

tumor in hypogastric region, measuring 65 × 45 mm. A laparotomy through lower midline incision was

performed. A surgical resection of a lesion of a Meckel’s diverticulum was carried out and a final diagnosis

of gastrointestinal stromal tumor was made. The patient made an uneventful recovery.

Conclusion The preoperative diagnosis of a complicated Meckel’s diverticulum may be challenging. CT

is usually an adequate method to diagnose tumors arising from Meckel’s diverticulum.

Keywords: bleeding Meckel’s diverticulum; diverticulectomy; gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)

A massive bleeding from a gastrointestinal stromal

tumor of a Meckel’s diverticulum

Mariusz Chabowski1,2, Anna Szymanska-Chabowska3, Tadeusz Dorobisz1, Dawid Janczak1,

Michał Jelen4, Dariusz Janczak1,2

1Fourth Military Teaching Hospital, Department of Surgery, Wroclaw, Poland;

2Wroclaw Medical University, Faculty of Health Science, Department of Clinical Nursing, Wroclaw, Poland;

3Wroclaw Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension,

Wroclaw, Poland;

4Wroclaw Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wroclaw, Poland

INTRODUCTION

Meckel’s diverticulum is the most common

congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal

tract, present in about 2% of population [1]. It

is the remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct,

which usually obliterates in the fifth to seventh

week of life [1, 2]. The name derives from Jo-

hann Friedrich Meckel (1781–1833), who de-

scribed its pathological features in 1809 [3, 4].

Gastrointestinal bleeding in adults originates

mainly from the upper gastrointestinal tract

(80%). Less than 5% of the bleeding originates

in small intestine [3]. Painless gastrointestinal

bleeding is a common symptom of Meckel’s di-

verticulum. Meckel’s diverticulum is the most

common site of heterotopic gastric mucosa [2].

CASE REPORT

A 44-year-old otherwise healthy man, was ad-

mitted to the internal medicine department of

the regional hospital because of painless rectal

bleeding (hematochezia) resulting in fainting

(syncope) at defecation. Neither fever nor vom-

iting were reported. His past medical history

revealed nothing remarkable. The patient was

hemodynamically stable, his blood pressure

was 110/80 mmHg and heart rate 95 beats per

minute. He had a hemoglobin level of 5.8gm/

dl. His abdomen was soft, non-tender and non-

distended. The patient received five units of

packed red blood cells. Both esophagogastro-

duodenoscopy and colonoscopy discovered no

pathology. An abdominal ultrasound examina-

tion revealed a well marginated vascularized

hypoechoic tumor measuring 59×40mm. Due

to the suspicion of a vascular malformation, the

patient was admitted to the Department of Sur-

gery in September of 2014 (No. 50245/2014).

An abdominal CT scan revealed a clearly de-

marcated solid tumor in hypogastric region,

measuring 65×45 mm (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen

and pelvis showing a clearly demarcated solid tumor

in hypogastric region, measuring 65 × 45 mm in cross

section

220

doi: 10.2298/SARH1604219C

The patient was administered a general anesthesia and

a lower midline incision was used. The tumor of 4cm in

diameter was identified in Meckel’s diverticulum. The seg-

mental ileal resection with tumor and end-to-end anas-

tomosis in two layers were performed (Figure 2). There

was no evidence of distant spread. The tube was inserted.

The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient

was discharged on the seventh postoperative day. The

pathological examination revealed a gastrointestinal stro-

mal tumor (GIST) with spindle cells histologic subtype.

Immunohistochemistry showed positive reaction for

CD117 (as marker for the presence of the KIT protein)

and smooth muscle actin. But the reactions for desmin,

S100, CD34 and Ki67 were negative. The patient had no

further episodes of hematochezia.

DISCUSSION

The clinically applicable is the rule of twos: occurs in 2%

of the population, located two feet of the ileocecal valve,

two inches in length, 2 cm in diameter, 2:1 male:female

ratio, two ectopic tissues (gastric and pancreatic), and

symptomatic before two years old [2]. Ectopic tissue,

mainly gastr ic mucosa, is often found in Meckel’s

diverticula and can lead to ulceration and bleeding [5].

There has been an ongoing debate about the excision

of asymptomatic Meckel’s diverticulum [6]. However,

bleeding, obstruction, diverticulitis, and perforation are

complications which require emergency surgery. The

treatment of choice is then surgical resection by the

diverticulectomy or by the segmental bowel resection and

anastomosis [2].

Both benign and malignant tumors in Meckel’s diver-

ticulum are very rare, with their incidence of 0.5–1.9% [4].

Lipoma, angioma, leiomyoma and hamartoma are benign

lesions. Carcinoids, mesenchymal tumors (i.e. gastrointes-

tinal stromal tumors, leyomyosarcomas) and adenocar-

cinomas are malignant lesions. Of these, 12% of tumors

are GIST [7, 8]. The term GIST was first used in 1983 by

Mazur and Clark. GISTs arise from the interstitial cells of

Cajal, pacemaker cells of gastrointestinal tract [8]. GISTs

arising from Meckel’s diverticulum are extremely rare [8].

Definitive surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for

patients with localized, primary GIST. The diverticulum

is excised with 2–3 cm of adjacent ileum [6]. End-to-end

anastomosis is performed. Either conventional laparotomy

or laparoscopic approach are used.

The preoperative diagnosis of a complicated Meckel’s

diverticulum may be challenging. CT is usually an ad-

equate method to diagnose tumors arising from Meckel’s

diverticulum.

1. Satya R, O’Malley JP. Meckel diverticulum with massive bleeding.

Radiology. 2005; 236:836–840

[DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2363031026] [PMID: 16118164]

2. Poley JR, Thielen TE, Pence JC. Bleeding Meckel’s diverticulum in a

4-month-old infant: treatment with laparoscopic diverticulectomy.

A case report and review of the literature. Clinical and Experimental

Gastroenterology. 2009; 2:37–40

[DOI: 10.2147/CEG.S3792] [PMID: 21694825]

3. Sagar J, Kumar V, Shah DK. Meckel’s diverticulum: a systematic

review. J R Soc Med. 2006; 99:501–505

[DOI: 10.1258/jrsm.99.10.501] [PMID: 17021300]

4. Sharma RK, Jain VK. Emergency surgery for Meckel’s diverticulum.

World Journal of Emergency Surgery. 2008; 3:27

[DOI: 10.1186/1749-7922-3-27] [PMID: 18700974]

5. Zellner C, Roorda AK. A bleeding Meckel’s diverticulum. N Eng J

Med. 2003; 349:e9

[DOI: 10.1056/ENEJMicm020554] [PMID: 12944585]

6. Radovic SV, Albijanic D, Albijanic M, Krstic ZV. Axial torsion and

gangrene of Meckel’s diverticulum: case report. Srp Arh Celok Lek.

2015; 143(1-2):79–82

[DOI: 10.2298/SARH1502079R] [PMID: 25845257]

7. Van Loo S, Van Thielen J, Cools P. Gastrointestinal bleeding caused

by a GIST of a Meckel’s diverticulum – a case report. Acta Chir Belg.

2010; 110:365–366

[DOI: 10.1080/00015458.2010.11680636] [PMID: 20690526]

8. Chandramohan K, Agraval M, Gurjar G, Gatti RC, Patel MH, Trivedi

P, et al. Gastrointestinal stromal tumour in Meckel’s diverticulum.

World J of Surg Oncol. 2007; 5:50

[DOI: 10.1186/1477-7819-5-50] [PMID: 17498311]

Figure 2. Intraoperative photograph showing the tumor arising from

Meckel’s diverticulum located on antimesenteric margin of the ileum

REFERENCES

Chabowski M. et al. A massive bleeding from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of a Meckel’s diverticulum

221Srp Arh Celok Lek. 2016 Mar-Apr;144(3-4):219-221

www.srpskiarhiv.rs

КРАТАК САДРЖАЈ

Увод Мекелов дивертикулум је најчешћа урођена анома-

лија система органа за варење, присутна у око 2% попу-

лације.

Приказ болесника Чланак приказује случај 44-годишњег

анемичног али иначе здравог мушкарца, са дијагнозом

крварења из доњег дела дигестивног система органа. CT-

скеном абдомена откривен је јасно дефинисан чврст тумор

у хипогастричкој регији, димензија 65 ×45mm. Извршена

је доња медијална лапаратомијa. Спроведена је хируршка

ресекција лезије Мекеловог дивертикулума и постављена

коначна дијагноза гастроинтестиналног стромалног тумора.

Болесник се опоравио без компликација.

Закључак Преоперативно успостављање дијагнозе сложе-

ног Мекеловог дивертикулума може бити тешко. CT-скен је

обично адекватна метода за откривање тумора који настају

из Мекеловог дивертикулума.

Кључне речи: крварење из Мекеловог дивертикулума; ди-

вертикулектомија; гастроинтестинални стромални тумор

(ГИСТ)

Масивно крварење из гастроинтестиналног стромалног тумора Мекеловог

дивертикулума

Маријуш Чабовски1,2, Ана Шиманска-Чабовска3, Тадеуш Доробиш1, Давид Јанчак1, Михал Јелен4, Даријуш Јанчак1,2

1Четврта војнонаставна болница, Одељење хирургије, Вроцлав, Пољска;

2Медицински универзитет у Вроцлаву, Факултет здравствених наука, Катедра за клиничко збрињавање, Вроцлав, Пољска;

3Медицински универзитет у Вроцлаву, Медицински факултет, Катедра за интерну медицину и хипертензију, Вроцлав, Пољска;

4Медицински универзитет у Вроцлаву, Медицински факултет, Катедра за патологију, Вроцлав, Пољска

Примљен • Received: 07/09/2015 Прихваћен • Accepted: 07/12/2015

Oclusion intestinal completa por diverticulitis de Meckel emplastronada

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The most common congenital GI anomaly is Meckel's diverticulum. These are true diverticula because they contain all the layers of the intestine. It is often asymptomatic. Diagnosis in the remaining 80% of the cases is incidental and achieved through surgical findings. The rate of complications is somewhere between 2% and 40%, the most frequent of which are hemorrhage, bowel obstruction, and diverticulitis. The occlusive form of presentation is rare and requires a high index of suspicion.

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Meckel´s diverticulum in adults

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Edelberto Fuentes Valdés

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