- Causes: Meckel’s Diverticulum is a congenital condition resulting from incomplete closure of the omphalomesenteric duct during fetal development. This remnant outpouching of the small intestine can occur due to failure of involution, leading to the formation of a pouch-like structure.
- Presentation: Patients with this condition may present with symptoms such as painless rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and intestinal obstruction. However, in some cases, it may remain asymptomatic.
- Investigation: Diagnosis of this condition involves a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging studies like abdominal ultrasound, technetium-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy (Meckel scan), and occasionally endoscopy or surgery for definitive diagnosis.
- Diagnosis: It is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, imaging findings consistent with the diverticulum, and occasionally confirmed during surgery or endoscopy. Technetium-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy is particularly useful in detecting ectopic gastric mucosa within the diverticulum.
- Treatment: Symptomatic Meckel’s Diverticulum often requires surgical resection, either through open or laparoscopic approaches, to prevent complications such as bleeding, perforation, or obstruction. Asymptomatic diverticula may not require treatment unless complications arise.
Meckel’s diverticulum is a bulge or pouch on the wall in the small intestine that is present at birth. It may contain tissues similar to the tissues of the stomach or pancreas. It is a common congenital deformity of the gastrointestinal tract. It usually develops between 5 to 7 weeks of fetal growth. It is more prevalent in males than in females. It manifests in children by the age of 2. Meckel’s diverticulum is susceptible to causing complications such as hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, umbilical anomalies, diverticulitis and neoplasm.
Cause Of Meckel’s Diverticulum
It is a congenital abnormality. It is formed due to left over tissue as the digestive tract of the baby was forming before birth. Very few people have Meckel’s diverticulum and fewer display symptoms.
Meckel’s Diverticulum Symptoms
Mild to severe pain in the abdomen
Rectal bleeding and bloody stools due to bleeding into the intestine
Black stools
anemia
Meckel’s Diverticulum Diagnosis
Hematocrit
A hematocrit blood test helps to determine the red blood cell count and to test for signs of anemia and diet deficiency.
Hemoglobin
This test measures the hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen. This is always done as a part of Complete Blood Count.
Stool smear
This is also called a stool guaiac test which looks for hidden blood in the stool sample.
Technetium scan
This is also called a Meckel scan or a technetium-99m pertechnetate scan. It helps look for gastric mucosa and is considered highly accurate.
Meckel’s Diverticulum treatment
surgical removal of the Meckel’s diverticulum.