Laparoscopy-assisted Approach for Meckel's Diverticulum in Pediatric Age

Background: Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital gastrointestinal tract (GIT) anomaly, with incidence approximately 2–4%. It is usually asymptomatic and it is usually discovered accidentally during laparotomy or presenting with complication as perforation, bleeding, and bowel obstruction. The surgical treatment of MD includes exploratory laparotomy with either diverticulectomy or segmental small bowel resection. Materials and methods: A retrospective review performed for the cases of MD operated by laparoscopy-assistedexcision of the diverticulum in Zagazig University Hospital and International Medical Center Jeddah, during the period from November 2012 to October 2018, all data regarding patients’ demographics, clinical features, diagnostic tests performed, histopathology reports, operative time, conversion to laparotomy, hospital stay, and complications were analyzed. Results: This study includes 17 patients with MD who underwent laparoscopy-assisted excision of MD. The median age of the patients was 8.3 years. The male to female ratio was 11:6. Lower GIT bleeding was the most common presenting symptom. All patients were subjected to a laparoscopy-assisted excision. Four patients underwent wedge excision and 13 patients underwent segmental bowel resection. Conclusion: Laparoscopy-assisted resection of MD is safe, simple, and inexpensive. Moreover, it avoids the risk of intra-abdominal contamination.