Managing Meckel diverticulum: To resect or not resect?

The most common causes of small bowel obstruction are hernias and adhesive disease. Other causes include malignancy, inflammation, infection, and Meckel diverticulum with an omphalomesenteric ligament. This article describes a patient who presented to the ED with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. A CT scan revealed dilated loops of bowel with an adjacent air-filled structure, possibly related to an internal hernia. Meckel diverticulum was discovered on diagnostic laparoscopy and a mesodiverticular band was lysed; the diverticulum was left in situ. The patient did well without further invention needed.