Clinicopathological features of Meckel's diverticula in 32 patients, with emphasis on the presence of Helicobacter pylori.

Meckel's diverticula (MD) with areas of gastric heterotopia (metaplasia) are more likely to become symptomatic than those that contain mucosa of purely an intestinal type. Helicobacter pylori has been associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether H. pylori could be identified within metaplastic gastric mucosa in MD. A retrospective evaluation of the histopathological features and the clinical presentation of patients with MD was undertaken. The study group included 32 cases (20 paediatric and 12 adults). The commonest modes of presentation were acute pain (25%), obstruction (19%), bleeding (12.5%) and hernias (9%). On histological examination, heterotopic gastric mucosa was noted to be present in 12 cases. Of these, 3 specimens were noted to have H. pylori organisms present using a specific immunostaining technique. Two patients had concurrent gastric biopsies; one stained positively for H. pylori but the second (1 mm biopsy) was rapid urease-test positive only. In conclusion, the study provides strong evidence that H. pylori may colonise heterotopic gastric mucosa in a minority of MD. H. pylori is apparently not involved in the pathogenesis of most cases of complicated MD. Nonetheless, all 3 patients who had evidence of H. pylori were symptomatic.