title: Incidental finding of carcinoid tumor on Meckel's diverticulum: case report and literature review, should prophylactic resection be recommended?
abstract: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract and is caused by incomplete obliteration of the vitelline duct during intrauterine life. MD affects less than 2% of the population. In most cases, MD is asymptomatic and the estimated average complication risk of MD carriers, which is inversely proportional to age, ranges between 2% and 4%. The most common MD-related complications are gastrointestinal bleeding, intestinal obstruction and acute phlogosis. Excision is mandatory in the case of symptomatic diverticula regardless of age, while surgical treatment for asymptomatic diverticula remains controversial. According to the majority of studies, the incidental finding of MD in children is an indication for surgical resection, while the management of adults is not yet unanimous. In this case report, we describe the prophylactic resection of an incidentally detected MD, which led to the removal of an occult mucosal carcinoid tumor. In literature, the association of MD and carcinoid tumor is reported as a rare finding. Even though the strategy for adult patients of an incidental finding of MD during surgery performed for other reasons divides the experts, we recommend prophylactic excision in order to avoid any further risk.
authors.affiliation: General and Oncologic Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical, Radiological and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. caracappadaniela@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caracappa
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gullà
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burini
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boselli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gemini
authors.forename: Maria Federica
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Burattini
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Covarelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Noya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008467:Meckel Diverticulum / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis