Meckel's diverticulum and related umbilical abnormalities: review of 26 cases.

Twenty-six surgically documented cases of Meckel's diverticulum and related abnormalities at the National Taiwan University Hospital during a 7-year period (1980 through 1987) are reviewed. According to clinical presentation, they were classified into five groups: (1) hemorrhage in 10 cases, (2) inflammation in 4 cases, (3) intestinal obstruction in 4 cases, (4) umbilical abnormalities in 6 cases, and (5) incidental finding on laparotomy in 2 cases. The percentage of umbilical abnormalities was 23%. In contrast, the 2 cases found incidentally represented 8% of 26 cases in this series. The diagnosis of umbilical abnormalities is obvious. For cases with Meckel's diverticuli, however, we detected their complications (hemorrhage, inflammation and intestinal obstruction) only preoperatively except for the hemorrhagic group in whom 6 among 10 cases were proved to have ectopic gastric mucosa by Meckel's scan. Other aspects about the clinical presentation, method of diagnosis, strategy for management are reviewed and discussed.