Outcomes of different presentations of complicated Meckel's diverticulum in children

The most prevalent congenital digestive system abnormality is Meckel's diverticulum (MD). Most instances have no symptoms, and in those that do, the surgical strategy may not be clear-cut and the diagnosis might be difficult. The present study's main aim is to assess the surgical technique and diagnostic procedure in light of clinical presentation. Also, evaluating the degree of postoperative complications is the secondary goal. A retrospective analysis was conducted in Raparen Teaching Hospital for children in Erbil/Iraq, and the private clinics of the investigators, reviewing the medical records of 25 children below 12 years of age, who underwent surgery for MD complications, between January 2020 and September 2023. Data on patient characteristics, clinical presentations, diagnostic investigations, surgical interventions, intraoperative findings, postoperative outcomes, and length of hospital stay were collected and analyzed. The mean age of the offspring was 3.482 ± 4.604 years, accompanied by a range of ages spanning from 7 days to 12 years. Out of the total number of children, 14 (56%) experienced rectal bleeding, while 16 (64%) exhibited abdominal distension. Additionally, 17 (68%) endured vomiting and 12 (48%) suffered from abdominal pain. Upon analyzing the therapeutic measures conducted on the children, it was observed that 16 (64%) of them underwent an emergency laparotomy. Remarkably, the most prevalent histopathological discovery was the presence of gastric mucosa in 10 (40%) of the children. According to the diagnostic criteria, surgical interventions are regarded as the foremost therapeutic modality. A vast majority of patients underwent laparotomy as their surgical approach, while a minority of patients underwent laparoscopy.