Meckel's diverticulum: Ten years' experience

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is a congenital anomaly of the small intestine.
• Understanding its demographics and clinical presentation in children is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the demographics and characteristics of children diagnosed with Meckel's diverticulum.
• To identify common clinical manifestations and diagnostic findings in pediatric MD cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records of children treated for MD over a 10-year period (1995-2004).
• Data collected included age, gender, clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, and histopathological results.

Main Results:

• 57 children diagnosed with MD; 40 underwent surgery.
• Common presentations included acute abdomen (26), intestinal obstruction (15), and rectal bleeding (10).
• Boys were more frequently affected (3:1 ratio); ectopic mucosa and diverticulitis were common histopathological findings.

Conclusions:

• Meckel's diverticulum prevalence in this cohort was 1.6%.
• Boys are significantly more prone to MD than girls.
• Acute abdomen, intestinal obstruction, and rectal bleeding are key indicators for pediatric MD.