Meckel's diverticulum in the adult: surgical treatment.

Management of asymptomatic Meckel's diverticulum (MD) incidentally discovered in adults remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine if incidental diverticula should be removed. We reviewed a consecutive series of patients surgically managed from January 1994 to December 2016. Patients were divided into two groups according to symptomatic or asymptomatic diverticula, and characteristics were compared. The study included 66 patients: 30 in the symptomatic group (45%) and 36 in the incidental group (55%). We found 12 females (18.2%), and the ratio male:female was higher in the symptomatic group (14:1 vs. 2.6:1). Patients in the symptomatic group were significantly younger: 41.7 ± 18.1 vs. 54.7 ± 19.8 years ( = .007). MD in the symptomatic group tended to be longer (3.8 ± 1.9 vs. 2.6 ± 0.9 cm;  = .003). A MD-associated malignancy was present in three patients (4.5%), all neuroendocrine tumours. Major postoperative complications occurred in 6.6% of symptomatic patients and 0% within the incidental group, without specific morbidity related to prophylactic surgery. No mortality was observed. Resection of incidentally found Meckel's diverticulum can be made because of benefits outweigh the risks in this high-risk area for cancer.