A clinically-occult gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a Meckel's diverticulum presenting as hollow organ perforation.

ABSTRACT

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. However, a neoplasm is a rare complication of Meckel's diverticulum. We report a case of a ruptured gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a Meckel's diverticulum, presenting as hollow organ perforation, in a 76 year-old woman. To our knowledge, the case we presented here is the 6th report describing a perforated GIST within a Meckel's diverticulum. In addition, the diverticular neoplasm in our case was clinically occult because of an unusual tumor configuration. Since the treatment of asymptomatic Meckel's diverticula remains controversial, our case raises suspicion that managing asymptomatic Meckel's diverticula by pure observation may leave some clinically occult diverticular neoplasms untreated. The role of prophylactic diverticulectomy requires further evaluation.