Acute abdomen due to torsion of Meckel's diverticulum: from diagnosis to treatment

Abstract

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, with a prevalence of around 2% in the general population. It occurs due to failure to obliterate the omphalomesenteric duct, which leads to the formation of a true diverticulum. In most cases it is asymptomatic, being diagnosed incidentally during complementary exams or laparoscopies/laparotomies; however, it can present complications, such as bleeding, intussusception, volvulus, torsion, inflammation, perforation, obstruction and neoplasia. From this perspective, it can clinically present as an acute abdomen, a critical condition that often requires a surgical approach. In this sense, the objective of this work is to report, through the base case and discussion, the initial approach to acute abdomen caused by torsion of Meckel's diverticulum, followed by surgical management and its possible complications. It is concluded that complications of Meckel's diverticulum, despite being an uncommon condition in the general population and often asymptomatic, must be present in the differential diagnoses of acute abdomen, and a rapid and effective surgical approach is necessary to prevent adverse outcomes and, thus, to improve patient survival.