Vitellointestinal Duct Remnant Inducing Small Bowel Obstruction in an Adult: An Unusual Entity

Introduction: Vitellointestinal Duct is an embryonic communication between the primitive yolk sac and the developing midgut which normally obliterates by weeks 5–10 of intrauterine life. Persistent duct can present as varied anatomical entities. Here, we report a case of small bowel obstruction due to Vitellointestinal duct remnant in an adult patient.

Presentation of Case: An adult male patient presented to the emergency room with features suggestive of acute intestinal obstruction which upon laparotomy was found to be due to volvulus around Vitellointestinal duct cyst.

Discussion: Vitellointestinal duct remnants can present as Meckel’s diverticulum, Patent vitellointestinal duct, Vitellointestinal sinus, Vitellointestinal cyst, Vitellointestinal mucosal polyp, Vitellointestinal fibrous band. Usually Asymptomatic in adults, when symptomatic can cause abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, small bowel obstruction, umbilical discharge which commonly occurs in children.

Conclusion: Although small bowel obstruction is a common surgical diagnosis, its aetiology never fails to surprise the operating surgeon. Persistent vitellointestinal duct can be considered as a possible etiology in patients with no past history of surgery and non-specific radiological findings for early diagnosis and better patient outcome.