Meckels divertikel

Definition and cause

Meckels divertikel is one of the most common congenital abnormalities and can be found in about. 2% of the population. It is a small udposning in the intestine, blind and is localized to the last part of the small intestine. It occurs when the connection between the intestine and the umbilical cord does not close completely during fetal development

Symptoms of Meckels divertikel

In most cases, it is completely without symptoms. Less than half of them with Meckels divertikel will experience problems, and over half of those are children under 10 years. There may, however, an inflammation in divertiklet (diverticulitis). The most common symptom of this is bleeding from the intestine end. Stools may contain fresh blood or black (due digested blood). But the symptoms may also recall the symptoms of appendicitis with pain around n

If you experience these symptoms, is much greater risk that there is an appendicitis than a diverticulitis in Meckels divertikel, and vice versa will Meckels divertikel often confused with appendicitis. It does not play the major role, because you have to open the abdominal cavity in both cases.

Divertiklet does sometimes acid-producing mucous membrane of the same type as in the stomach (due to the gut special development in fetal time). If so, seen in some wounds that can resemble an ulcer, and symptoms may be in bad cases recall a perforated ulcer with peritonitis.