[Clinical characteristics of Meckel's diverticulum in a population of children]

A descriptive and retrospective study was realized during a period of eleven years from January 1983 to December 1993. There were found 101 cases, of which 75.25% were Meckel's diverticulum complicated. The incidence found was of 1.2%. The 89.5% of the complicated cases were less than 10 years old, and the 47.4% were less than 2 years old. The most frequent symptoms were: abdominal pain (68.4%), vomiting (68.4%), fever (47.3%), and abdominal distention (39.4%). The congenital anomalies presented in 17.8%, were: intestinal malrotation, congenital bands, hernia inguinal and omphalocele. The most common complications were: intestinal obstruction (47.4%), diverticulitis (19.7%), lower digestive hemorrhage (15.8%), and intestinal perforation (14.5%) of the cases. The heterotopic tissue was present in 20.7% cases. In our Institute, the age's group less than 2 years old, presented more complicated cases (p < 0.01). The intestinal obstruction was the most common picture (p < 0.001). The lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage was the second complication in patients less than 2 years old (p < 0.05). We found a strong association with other congenital anomalies.