Gastrointestinal bleeding due to congenital diverticulitis

On June 28, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Son Vu, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the patient had symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding causing anemia. The results of a 1795-slice CT scan with contrast showed an inflamed Meckel’s diverticulum (a congenital abnormality) with bleeding.

Pediatric surgeons performed laparoscopic surgery on the baby, cutting out the section of intestine containing the diverticula, suturing and cleaning the abdomen. The incision is small, about 0.5 cm, leaving no scars, and the amount of blood lost due to surgery is small. The baby recovered well and could eat and drink normally after surgery.

Previously, Tam Anh Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City also successfully treated Nguyen, a 7-year-old boy who suffered from prolonged iron deficiency anemia and bloody stools due to Meckel’s diverticulitis. The patient received two blood transfusions and surgery to remove the segment of intestine containing the diverticulum. Currently, the boy’s health is stable.

According to Dr. Vu, Meckel diverticulitis is a congenital intestinal abnormality, about 2-4% of people have this condition. The disease cannot be screened or recognized early through the initial signs and is often only discovered when complications have occurred. Among them, a common complication is gastrointestinal bleeding like Khang’s case, which can easily lead to hemorrhagic shock, even life-threatening.

Symptoms of pouchitis resemble acute appendicitis or acute intestinal obstruction. Patients often have cramping pain in the abdomen and around the navel, gastrointestinal bleeding, intestinal obstruction causing bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and nausea. If not treated promptly, patients face complications such as inflammation, gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal infection, diverticular torsion, intussusception, intestinal obstruction…

According to Dr. Vu, ultrasound is a highly specific diagnostic imaging method that helps detect many dangerous digestive diseases. However, diseases related to Meckel’s diverticulum such as ulcers, bleeding, perforated diverticula, small bowel obstruction, diverticular fistula or tumors… are often confused with gastrointestinal diseases and are difficult to diagnose. Therefore, the doctor prescribes a CT scan to accurately diagnose the disease.

Dr. Mai Tan Lien Bang, Head of the Pediatric Imaging Unit, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that previous CT scanners had quite long scan times. Children with the disease often cried because of pain, making it difficult to get accurate results. New scanners such as the 1795-slice CT scanner have a fast scan time of only 0.23 seconds. The device reduces radiation dose by 96%, making it safe for pediatric patients.

Doctors recommend that children with unusual signs such as abdominal pain, fever, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, bloody stools… should go to the hospital immediately.