Postoperative intestinal obstruction caused by Meckel’s diverticulitis after appendectomy

Surgical treatment of the complications associated with Meckel’s diverticulum is widely accepted, but surgical management of an asymptomatic diverticulum found incidentally during laparotomy for other reasons is controversial. Appendectomy is the most common reason for laparotomy in many pediatric surgery clinics. The most common causes of an intestinal obstruction in the early period after appendectomy are an intra-abdominal abscess, adhesive small bowel obstruction and invagination. Obstruction due to Meckel’s diverticulum is reported rarely. In this study, we present 2 cases, five and eleven years old, with an asymptomatic Meckel’s diverticulum where appendectomy was performed due to acute and perforated appendicitis and obstruction developed due to Meckel’s diverticulitis in the postoperative early stage. Meckel’s diverticulitis must be considered in intestinal obstruction cases developing in the early stages after appendectomy although quite rare.