Abstract
Objective: We aimed to investigate the epidemiological and characteristic features of patients with Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) treated in our clinic and share our experiences.
Material and Methods: Records of patients were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic and clinical data, the treatments modalities, appearance and location of MD and results of histopathological examination were investigated. Patients were compared according to gender and whether they were symptomatic. Statistical analysis evaluated with SPSS version 21. P<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: A total of 59 patients (14 female, 45 male) were included in the study. There was no difference between genders in terms of age, length-of-hospital stay and location MD (p=0.60, p=0.072 and p=0.765, respectively). Abdominal pain was the most common reason for admission in both genders. There were 45 patients in the symptomatic group and 14 patients in the incidental group. MD in the symptomatic group was located more proximal (p=0.041) but there was no difference between the groups in terms of other parameters. The scintigraphy was positive in eight of nine patients, while it was negative in one. The most common ectopic tissue detected in patients was gastric mucosa (70%). Forty-seven patients were operated on with open surgical technique. Appearance of MD was normal in 23 patients (39.0%), and the diverticulitis was seen in 17 (28.8%). In five patients who were diagnosed incidentally during appendectomy, MD was not resected because they were asymptomatic. Diverticulectomy was performed in 34 patients (57.6%), while anastomosis was performed with segmental-ileal-resection in others. None of patients died.
Conclusion: Most patients present with symptoms resulting from complications of MD. Since these complications cause acute abdomen, MD should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with abdominal pain. In addition, it should be known that MD can be seen in children older than the classical age-range described in literature.