Meckel's diverticulitis secondary to carcinoid tumor: an unusual presentation of the acute abdomen in an adult.

This case reports the concomitant findings of carcinoid tumor within a Meckel's diverticulum presenting as an acute abdomen in an adult male. Most Meckel's diverticula remain asymptomatic throughout life, and symptomatic diverticula are virtually nonexistent in older adults. Meckel's diverticulitis is clinically indistinguishable from acute appendicitis, and abnormal or symptomatic diverticula are generally resected. Surgical treatment of Meckel's diverticula is recommended for children during exploration. However, resection is controversial in asymptomatic adults. Carcinoid tumors are the most common primary tumor of the small bowel. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis varies from 2 to 20 years, and half of all patients have incurable abdominal disease at first-look surgery. Metastatic events occur most commonly in the liver with a generally poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice. Both Meckel's diverticula and carcinoid tumor are rare clinical entities, and carcinoid tumors occurring within a Meckel's diverticulum are even more uncommon. Thus, the natural history is difficult to predict and treatment recommendations vary. Solitary, localized, asymptomatic nodules less than 1 cm are generally managed with diverticulectomy or segmental resection. Larger or multiple lesions require wide excision of bowel and mesentery, and hepatic resection may be required for metastatic disease.