Meckel's Diverticulum
Question Received:
Response:
I am 38 yrs old and had a laparotomy (abdominal exploration). I've now been told that a band of tissue "meckles" caused intestinal blockage. I also saw a Pathology report verifying the presence of Meckles. What is Meckles?
3rd August 2000
Meckel’s diverticulum is present in about 2 - 4% of the population. Typically it is a blindly-ending pouch a few centimetres long on the antimesenteric border of the ileum within 100 cms of the ileocaecal junction. It is a remnant of an embryological structure called the vitelline duct, which once connected the yolk sac with the developing midgut. Usually the vitelline duct disappears completely. Meckel’s diverticulum may produce no symptoms. However, sometimes it may become inflamed, or it might have ectopic gastric or pancreatic cells in its walls leading to ulceration. In some cases, a fibrous strand connects the diverticulum to the inner aspect of the umbilicus, and a loop of small intestine can become twisted around this (volvulus) causing obstruction. The symptoms may closely mimic those of appendicitis.
J.F. Meckel first discussed the embryological basis of this abnormality in the early 19th century.