[Surgical management of Meckel's diverticulum in adults--retrospective analyses of 62 cases].

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital anomaly of the small intestine. We searched and analyzed the records of 62 cases with MD admitted in University Emergency Hospital Bucharest between 2001-2009. Sex ratio was M:F 3:1, with 74% male and 26% female. 51.6% (n = 32) of this where symptomatic and 48.4% (n = 30) asymptomatic, discovered during laparotomy for other reasons. The analysis highlights an increased frequency of symptomatic diverticulum at early ages, with a medium age of about 39.2 years comparing to asymptomatic group with a medium age of about 54.2 years. The diverticulum complication generated: occlusion--43.7% (n = 15), inflammation--37.5% (n = 12), bleeding, two cases of diverticulum tumor, an intussusception case and a perforation case with unknown object. 25% of the diverticulectomies were followed by postsurgery complications, the parietal suppuration being the most frequent (50%). Three patients died independent of the diverticulum or its resection, all three having an asymptomatic diverticulum. The difficult diagnosis and the seriousness of diverticulum complications force us to take into consideration DM in all cases of severe or chronic abdominal pain. The diverticulum has to be surgically removed to all patients under 50 years, especially men.