Mesenteric hematoma--meckel's diverticulum: a rare laparoscopic complication.

As previously reported, most complications of laparoscopy occur during the induction of pneumoperitoneum. In addition to the known complications of emphysema, embolism, and pneumocolon, the insufflating needle may occasionally cause bleeding by entering inadvertently into a vessel which may in rare situations be a mesenteric artery. Luckily, this complication is rare enough not to necessitate typing, cross-matching, and preparation of blood for every laparoscopic procedure. Injury to the iliac mesentery, with mesenteric artery perforation and a resulting hematoma, occurred during laparoscopy for tubal sterilization. This report describes the operative finding of a Meckel's cord attaching the ileum to the umbilicus, leading to this unusual and serious complication necessitating an immediate laparotomy and ileal resection.