title: [Perforation of Meckel's diverticulum by a toothpick].
abstract: We report the case of a 31-year-old man with lower abdominal pain, leucocytosis and normal sonographic findings. When performing laparoscopy we found a Meckel's diverticulum perforated by a toothpick. Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms normally occur only when there are complications, when bleeding, obstruction and inflammation are most frequent. Despite modern imaging techniques the diagnosis is difficult and often made intraoperatively. Resection should be performed in any case, because the risk of future complications of the diverticulum outweigh the morbidity after simple diverticulectomy.
authors.affiliation: Chirurgische Klinik, Stadtspital Triemli, Zürich, Schweiz.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zingg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vorburger
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Metzger
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008467:Meckel Diverticulum / Q000601:surgery*