Meckel's Diverticulitis in a Teenager With Unknown Intestinal Malrotation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

The clinical presentation of congenital abnormalities in adult life is a rare condition since they usually make their appearance in early childhood. A combination of two different congenital deformities is even more infrequent, a fact that might complicate the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen. This is a case report of an inflamed Meckel's diverticulum in a 16-year-old male with intestinal malrotation presented in an acute setting, and a review of the literature. The patient presented at the emergency department with an atypical abdominal pain located in the right abdomen and quite elevated inflammatory markers. Computed tomography revealed Meckel's diverticulitis in combination with intestinal malrotation, findings that were confirmed intraoperatively. A partial enterectomy with a side-to-side anastomosis was performed, and the patient was discharged uneventfully. Only a few cases of this combination have been reported in the literature till nowadays. This article indicates the importance of the computed tomography scan in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain since it might reveal rare clinical entities and determine the further therapeutic plan. Furthermore, it is a reminder that congenital abnormalities might make their clinical appearance not only in early childhood but also in adult life, pointing out the ability of the general surgeon to deal with such cases.