Laparoscopic resection of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a Meckel's diverticulum

Abstract

A Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is a congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract which is estimated to be present in 2% of the population. Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are rare, soft-tissue tumours which represent 0.1%–3% of all gastrointestinal tumours. The association of an MD and a GIST is extremely unusual since fewer than 3% of MD harbour primary neoplasms and most of these neoplasms are carcinoid tumours. While MDs may remain asymptomatic throughout life, a small proportion may be complicated by occult gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammation, perforation and small bowel obstruction. A tumour in an MD may be asymptomatic or can cause vague abdominal pain and small bowel obstruction if it is larger in dimension. The authors present a rare case of a 5.5 cm GIST in an MD that was completely resected through a laparoscopic approach.