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Meckel’s diverticulectomy

• Overview
• Recovery
• Risks

Definition:

Meckel's diverticulectomy is surgery to remove an abnormal pouch ( Meckel's diverticulum ) in the wall of the small intestine.

Description:

The procedure is done while you are under general anesthesia, which means you are asleep and feel no pain during the procedure. The surgeon makes a cut into right side of the lower abdomen and located the small intestine. The diverticulum is removed. Sometimes a small part of the intestine may need to be removed along with the diverticulum. In this case, the ends of each part of the intestine are sewn back together.

Indications:

Inflammation or infection of Meckel's diverticulum (diverticulitis) can be mistaken for appendicitis . The most common symptom of Meckel's diverticulitis is painless bleeding from the rectum. The stools may contain fresh blood or may look black and tarry.

• Review Date: 10/16/2006
• Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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