Meckel's diverticulum in the adult.

Meckel's diverticula were removed from 49 adult patients during a 15 year period. In 24 (49 per cent) of the patients the diverticulum was the cause of symptoms while in the remaining 25 it was an incidental finding at laparotomy. Of the symptomatic patients, 10 had acute inflammation of their diverticula, 8 presented with small bowel obstruction (in 4 cases due to fibrous bands) and 4 attended because of gross rectal bleeding; of the 2 remaining patients one was found to have intussusception of Meckel's diverticulum into the terminal ileum whilst the other had a nodule of calcified material lying within a partly gangrenous vitellointestinal duct. There was no operative mortality in the series. Heterotopic tissue was noted histologically in six Meckel's diverticula, all of which produced symptoms. The importance of considering a diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum in the young adult presenting with acute small bowel obstruction or rectal bleeding is emphasized.