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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Association between Meckel's diverticulum and Crohn's disease: a retrospective review
H J Andreyev1, R A Owen, I Thompson
1St Mark's Hospital, London.
Abstract:
The operation notes and pathology records of 294 consecutive patients who had right hemicolectomy for Crohn's disease were reviewed. A Meckel's diverticulum was found in 17 (5.8%) of these patients, 2-3 times the expected rate in the general population. At least 50% of diverticula in the normal population contain heterotopic mucosa, but none was found in those diverticula that were examined from this group. The increased prevalence of Meckel's diverticulum in patients with Crohn's disease confirms previous anecdotal reports, but the cause for the increased frequency remains unexplained. The significance of this finding is discussed.
Insights
Patients with Crohn's disease have a significantly higher prevalence of Meckel's diverticulum, occurring 2-3 times more frequently than in the general population. The reason for this increased occurrence of Meckel's diverticulum in Crohn's disease patients remains unclear.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.
- Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital abnormality of the small intestine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of Meckel's diverticulum in patients undergoing right hemicolectomy for Crohn's disease.
- To compare this prevalence to expected rates in the general population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of operation notes and pathology records.
- Analysis of data from 294 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease.
Main Results:
- Meckel's diverticulum was identified in 17 patients (5.8%).
- This represents a 2-3 fold increase compared to the general population prevalence.
- No heterotopic mucosa was found in the examined Meckel's diverticula from this cohort.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a higher incidence of Meckel's diverticulum in Crohn's disease patients.
- The underlying cause for this association requires further investigation.
- The clinical significance of this finding warrants discussion.
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