Review of the Incidence and Management of Meckel’s Diverticulum

Meckel’s Diverticulum has an estimated prevalence of 1.2% of the population. Most cases are asymptomatic and the diagnosis is often made intra?operatively. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice in patients with symptomatic Meckel’s Diverticulum or in cases of complication such as obstruction, bleeding or Meckel’s diverticulitis. However, the management of asymptomatic incidentally discovered Meckel’s Diverticulum has been more controversial. Some groups still recommend resection due to the risk of long?term complications, while others do not recommend resection citing the increased risk of post-operative morbidity in comparison to long-term complications. There are an increasing number of case reports documenting the association of Meckel’s Diverticulum with the risk of malignancy and new population?based studies confirm this association. More studies are needed, but the potential impact on the management of asymptomatic Meckel’s Diverticulum cannot be ignored.