BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuMeckel diverticulumA Meckel diverticulum is a pouch on the wall of the lower part of the small intestine that is present at birth (congenital). The diverticulum may contain tissue similar to that of the stomach or pancreas.Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Causes A Meckel diverticulum is tissue left over from when a baby's digestive tract was forming before birth. A small number of people have a Meckel diverticulum. However, only a few develop symptoms. Symptoms Symptoms may include:Pain in the abdomen that can be mild or severe Blood in the stool Nausea and vomitingSymptoms often occur during the first few years of life. However, they may not start until adulthood. Exams and Tests You may have the following tests:Hematocrit HematocritHematocrit is a blood test that measures how much of a person's blood is made up of red blood cells. This measurement depends on the number of and s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hemoglobin HemoglobinHemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The hemoglobin test measures how much hemoglobin is in your blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stool smear for invisible blood (stool occult blood test) Stool occult blood testThe stool guaiac test looks for hidden (occult) blood in a stool sample. It can find blood even if you cannot see it yourself. It is a common type ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan Technetium scan (also called a Meckel scan)Technetium scanA liver scan uses a radioactive material to check how well the liver or spleen is working and to assess masses in the liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment You may need surgery to remove the diverticulum if bleeding develops. The segment of small intestine that contains the diverticulum is taken out. The ends of the intestine are sewn back together.You may need to take iron supplements to treat anemia. You may need a blood transfusion if you have a lot of bleeding, Outlook (Prognosis) Most people recover fully from surgery and will not have the problem come back. Complications from the surgery are also unlikely. Possible Complications Complications may include:Excess bleeding (hemorrhage) from the diverticulum Folding of the intestines (intussusception), a type of blockage IntussusceptionIntussusception is the sliding of one part of the intestine into another. This article focuses on intussusception in children.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Peritonitis PeritonitisPeritonitis is an inflammation (irritation) of the peritoneum. This is the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tear (perforation) of the bowel at the diverticulum When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider right away if your child passes blood or bloody stool or has ongoing abdominal pain.Open ReferencesReferencesBass LM, Wershil BK. Anatomy, histology, embryology, and developmental anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 98.Kleigman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM. Intestinal duplications, Meckel diverticulum, and other remnants of the omphalomesenteric duct. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 357.AllVideoImagesTogMeckel diverticulum - illustration Meckel diverticulum is one of the most common congenital abnormalities. It occurs when the connection between the intestine and the umbilical cord doesn't completely close off during fetal development. This results in a small outpouching of the small intestine, know as a Meckel diverticulum. In most cases, Meckel diverticula do not cause any problems. In a small number of patients however, these diverticula can become infected (diverticulitis) cause an obstruction of the intestine, or cause bleeding from the intestine. The most common symptom of Meckel diverticulitis is painless bleeding from the rectum. The stools may contain fresh blood or may look black and tarry.Meckel diverticulumillustrationDigestive system - illustration The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.Digestive systemillustrationDigestive system organs - illustration The digestive system organs in the abdominal cavity include the liver, gallbladder, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.Digestive system organsillustrationMeckel's diverticulectomy - normal anatomyPresentation Meckel diverticulum - illustration Meckel diverticulum is one of the most common congenital abnormalities. It occurs when the connection between the intestine and the umbilical cord doesn't completely close off during fetal development. This results in a small outpouching of the small intestine, know as a Meckel diverticulum. In most cases, Meckel diverticula do not cause any problems. In a small number of patients however, these diverticula can become infected (diverticulitis) cause an obstruction of the intestine, or cause bleeding from the intestine. The most common symptom of Meckel diverticulitis is painless bleeding from the rectum. The stools may contain fresh blood or may look black and tarry.Meckel diverticulumillustrationDigestive system - illustration The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.Digestive systemillustrationDigestive system organs - illustration The digestive system organs in the abdominal cavity include the liver, gallbladder, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.Digestive system organsillustration Meckel's diverticulectomy - normal anatomyPresentation Related Information Diverticulitis(Condition)Gastrointestinal bleeding(Symptoms)Peritonitis(Condition)Intussusception – children(Condition) Review Date: 11/2/2022 Reviewed By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. 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Meckel diverticulumA Meckel diverticulum is a pouch on the wall of the lower part of the small intestine that is present at birth (congenital). The diverticulum may contain tissue similar to that of the stomach or pancreas.Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Causes A Meckel diverticulum is tissue left over from when a baby's digestive tract was forming before birth. A small number of people have a Meckel diverticulum. However, only a few develop symptoms. Symptoms Symptoms may include:Pain in the abdomen that can be mild or severe Blood in the stool Nausea and vomitingSymptoms often occur during the first few years of life. However, they may not start until adulthood. Exams and Tests You may have the following tests:Hematocrit HematocritHematocrit is a blood test that measures how much of a person's blood is made up of red blood cells. This measurement depends on the number of and s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hemoglobin HemoglobinHemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The hemoglobin test measures how much hemoglobin is in your blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stool smear for invisible blood (stool occult blood test) Stool occult blood testThe stool guaiac test looks for hidden (occult) blood in a stool sample. It can find blood even if you cannot see it yourself. It is a common type ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan Technetium scan (also called a Meckel scan)Technetium scanA liver scan uses a radioactive material to check how well the liver or spleen is working and to assess masses in the liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment You may need surgery to remove the diverticulum if bleeding develops. The segment of small intestine that contains the diverticulum is taken out. The ends of the intestine are sewn back together.You may need to take iron supplements to treat anemia. You may need a blood transfusion if you have a lot of bleeding, Outlook (Prognosis) Most people recover fully from surgery and will not have the problem come back. Complications from the surgery are also unlikely. Possible Complications Complications may include:Excess bleeding (hemorrhage) from the diverticulum Folding of the intestines (intussusception), a type of blockage IntussusceptionIntussusception is the sliding of one part of the intestine into another. This article focuses on intussusception in children.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Peritonitis PeritonitisPeritonitis is an inflammation (irritation) of the peritoneum. This is the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tear (perforation) of the bowel at the diverticulum When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider right away if your child passes blood or bloody stool or has ongoing abdominal pain.Open ReferencesReferencesBass LM, Wershil BK. Anatomy, histology, embryology, and developmental anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 98.Kleigman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM. Intestinal duplications, Meckel diverticulum, and other remnants of the omphalomesenteric duct. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 357.