Meckel’s diverticulum: Ten years’ experience

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the demographics and characteristics of children with Meckel’s diverticulum (MD).
Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the medical records of all children who were treated for MD in the department of pediatric surgery of Tepecik Training and Research Hospital over a period of 10 years (1995-2004). Age, gender, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and histopathological reports were documented.
Results: In total, 57 children were diagnosed with MD. Of these, 40 children were treated surgically. Furthermore, 26 had acute abdomen, 15 had intestinal obstruction, 10 had rectal bleeding, and 6 had some other diagnosis. The mean age of the boys (n=43) was 4.77±3.82 years, whereas that of the girls (n=14) was 3.85±3.67 years. Histopathological examination revealed ectopic mucosa in 9 patients, omphalomesenteric duct remnants in 4 patients, diverticulitis in 24 patients, and ulcerations in 14 patients.
Conclusion: The prevalence of MD was 1.6%. Boys were approximately 3 times more commonly affected than girls. In most cases, the initial diagnosis was acute abdomen and the presenting symptoms on admission were intestinal obstruction and rectal bleeding.

Ethics committee approval was not required as the study was retrospective.

Patient’s approval was not needed for this retrospective study.

Externally peer-reviewed.

Concept - S.S., A.S.; Design - S.S., A.A.; Funding - S.S.; Materials - S.S.; Data Collection and/or Processing - A.S., A.A.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - S.S., H.D.; Literature Review - A.C., H.D.; Writer - S.S., H.D.; Critical Review - S.S., A.C.

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.