Meckel’s diverticulum: sometimes a hidden pitfall

Abstract

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital abnormality of the small intestine, resulting from incomplete obliteration of the vitelline duct leading to the formation of a true diverticulum. The clinical presentation ranges from an asymptomatic course up to life-threatening complications.  We report the case of a 3-years-old boy, initially diagnosed with an acute gastritis. Additional diagnostics showed the need for urgent surgical treatment due to a small bowel obstruction. This case report addresses the importance of adding additional diagnostics if the patient is not clearing up within acceptable time with the initiated therapy.