Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital abnormality of the distal ileum assoc
iated with failed vitelline duct closure. Detailed pathological studies hav
e estimated its frequency to be about 2% of the general population, and it
has been anecdotally recorded in patients with Crohn's disease. Most patien
ts with Crohn's disease have imaging studies of the small intestine during
the course of their disease, and often, an intestinal resection. Thus, it s
eems possible to estimate the prevalence of Meckel's diverticula in Crohn's
disease. In addition, patient characteristics may be important, especially
if management of Crohn's disease is altered. Of 877 patients with Crohn's
disease, 10 (about 1%) had a Meckel's diverticulum diagnosed, including six
men and four women. All were diagnosed with Crohn's disease before age 50
years and seven were diagnosed before age 30 years. There were five with il
eocolonic disease, two with colon-only disease and three with ileum-only di
sease. The clinical behaviour of five patients could be classified as penet
rating and two as stricturing. A total of 311 patients had an ileocolonic r
esection, including eight (about 2%) with a Meckel's diverticulum. In contr
ast to some case reports, no het erotopic mucosa was detected and the Mecke
l's diverticulum was incidental and, apparently, an unexpected finding. In
each case, the diverticulum was not involved with Crohn's disease hut was i
ncluded in the ileal resection. These results suggest that the overall prev
alence of a Meckel's diverticulum is not increased in Crohn's disease but m
ay result in resection of additional small intestine.