Intussusception secondary to a Meckel’s diverticulum in a 6-month-old male

Abstract

Intussusception is the most common bowel emergency and most common cause of intestinal obstruction in early childhood. It is caused by an invagination of a proximal intestinal segment into its distal counterpart, most commonly at the ileocecal junction. While commonly thought to be associated with a pathological lead point, the majority of cases are idiopathic, and a lead point is only identified in approximately 25 percent of pediatric cases.1 We present a case of an undiagnosed intussusception secondary to a necrotic Meckel’s diverticulum masquerading as viral gastroenteritis in a 6-month-old infant. He failed air enema reduction and required open laparotomy and 15 cm of bowel resection for correction. Clinicians should be mindful of intussusception when developing their differential diagnosis for the child with vomiting and abdominal pain.