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Observational Study
. 2016 Oct-Dec;13(4):170-174.
doi: 10.4103/0189-6725.194671.

Meckel's diverticulum in children: Our 12-year experience

Kamal Nain Rattan  1 , Jasbir Singh  2 , Poonam Dalal  2 , Ananta Rattan  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

Meckel's diverticulum in children: Our 12-year experience

Kamal Nain Rattan et al. Afr J Paediatr Surg. 2016 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Background: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the one of the most common congenital malformation of gastrointestinal tract and has varied clinical presentations. We are presenting here our 12-year experiences with MD in children at tertiary care hospital in North India. It highlights the fact that isolated gangrene of MD can occur, and it is associated with increased morbidity.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study is conducted by analysing the medical records of the patients who were operated for MD in the last 12 years in paediatric surgery department at our hospital.

Results: Sixty-five patients were operated for MD in study period; in this 52 were males and 13 were females with mean age of presentation 3.2 years. The most common presentation was intestinal obstruction seen in 86.1% (56 cases). Intestinal haemorrhage was seen in 4.6% (3 cases) and diverticulitis in 3% (2 cases). Perforation of the gut with peritonitis was present in 6.1% (four cases). Cause of obstruction was intussusception in 21.4% (12 cases), fibrous band connected to umbilicus in 17.8% (10 cases), volvulus in 17.8% (10 cases), kinking in 16.0% (9 cases), knotting in 14.2% (8 cases) and herniation of gut below in 12.5% (7 cases). Isolated gangrene of MD was present in ten cases with intestinal obstruction. The ectopic gastric mucosa was seen in three and pancreatic mucosa in two cases. Mortality and morbidity during the study were one and three cases, respectively.

Conclusion: MD may remain clinically silent for lifetime, or it may have life-threatening complications. In our series, intestinal obstruction and not the haemorrhage was the most common presentation. Isolated gangrene of MD with obstruction was present in significant numbers, which we failed to find in literature.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Peroperative picture showing large Meckel's diverticulum attached to umbilicus
Figure 2
Figure 2
Peroperative picture showing inflamed and wide base Meckel's diverticulum
Figure 3
Figure 3
Peroperative picture showing isolated gangrene of Meckel's diverticulum
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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