Complicated Meckel's diverticulum and therapeutic management

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the treatment options and compare patient management with the literature for patients operated on for an acute abdomen who had complications due to inflammation of the Meckel's diverticulum at our clinics. Material and Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated 14 patients who had been operated on for acute abdomen and had been diagnosed with Meckel's diverticulitis (MD) in Ege University Medical Faculty Department of General Surgery, between October 2007 and October 2012. Results: Fourteen patients with a diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulitis (MD) were retrospectively analyzed. Radiologically, the abdominal computer tomography showed pathologies compatible with mechanical intestinal obstruction, Meckel's diverticulitis and peridiverticular abscess, as well as detection of free air within the abdomen on direct abdominal X-ray. Among patients diagnosed with complicated Meckel's diverticuli (obstruction, diverticulitis, perforation) 10 patients had partial small bowel resection and end-to-end anastomosis (71.5%), three patients underwent diverticulum excision (21.4%), and one patient underwent right hemicolectomy+ileotransversostomy (7.1%). Conclusion: Meckel's diverticulum is a vestigial remnant of an omphalomesenteric channel in the small bowel. It is a real congenital diverticular abnormality that contains all three layers of the small bowel. Surgical excision should be performed if Meckel's diverticulum is detected in order to avoid incidental complications such as ulceration, bleeding, bowel obstruction, diverticulitis or perforation. Meckel's diverticulitis does not have specific clinical and radiological findings. Delayed diagnosis can lead to lethal septic complications. Complications associated with Meckel's diverticulitis, especially if a definite diagnosis is not made during the preoperative period, should be considered in the differential diagnosis. In the presence of a complicated diverticulum the appropriate treatment should be emergent surgical intervention.