Patent vitellointestinal duct.

During the 3rd week of intrauterine life there is a communication between the intraembryonic gut and the yolk sac. As the development proceeds this communication narrows into a tube known as the vitellointestinal duct (VID). With the establishment of placental nutrition this duct usually becomes obliterated by the end of the 7th week of intrauterine life. In about 2% of humans this duct persists and gives rise to a group of anomalies of which Meckel's diverticulum is the commonest and complete patency of the duct is the rarest.1 We report a case of a 4-month-old infant who presented with umbilical polyp, discharge from the umbilicus, significant dehydration and failure to thrive because of complete patency of the VID.