Iron deficiency anaemia: an unusual complication of Meckel's diverticulum.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a case of Meckel's diverticulum with an unusual complication of iron deficiency anaemia due to chronic intestinal bleeding.

METHODS

A 12-year-old boy presented with bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain in association with a long-standing history of black stools and progressive pallor. Biochemical tests revealed low serum iron (1.2 mmol/l) indicating iron deficiency anaemia and low serum albumin (29 g/l). The other tests were normal. Colonoscopy performed on the 8th day of hospitalization was normal. A technetium-99m pertechnetate scan showed an ectopic gastric mucosa in the Meckel's diverticulum confirmed at surgery in the region of the antimesentric border and on histopathology.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicated that the patient had a bleeding Meckel's diverticulum, complicated by iron deficiency anaemia.