Meckel's diverticulum in Crohn's disease

Authors
Citation
Hj. Freeman, Meckel's diverticulum in Crohn's disease, CAN J GASTR, 15(5), 2001, pp. 308-311
Citations number
20
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Gastroenerology and Hepatology
Journal title
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
ISSN journal
0835-7900 → ACNP
Volume
15
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
308 - 311
Database
ISI
SICI code
0835-7900(200105)15:5<308:MDICD>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
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.