When my husband needs to have a bowel movement or urinate, he feels the urge to vomit. When he was a baby he had Meckel’s Diverticulum and our family doctor told him the urge to vomit when having to go to the washroom is normal!?! I don’t know if the Meckel’s can or has returned, or if he has IBS or an impacted bowel… My husband is 38

Posted by: Maria/MD Health Forum.com Team

Meckel’s diverticulum is a common congenital abnormality of the gastrointestinal tract. It is characterized by the presence of a small pouch in the intestinal wall close to the the junction of the small and large intestines. In most cases, the pouch is not made up of intestinal tissue, but rather the same tissue found in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract such as in the stomach or pancreas. If it is made up of stomach tissue, it also produces gastric acid which is quite harmful to the intestinal lining. When the intestine is always in contact with the acid, this can eventually lead to ulcer formation. Alkaline secretions from pancreatic tissue can also predispose ulcerations. The ulcer may rupture and this will result to the leakage of waste products into the abdominal cavity, and it can lead a serious infection known as peritonitis. Research have shown that a person with Meckel’s diverticulum has 4-6 percent risk of developing a complication. Hemorrhage, intussusception- telescoping of one portion of the intestine into a nearby adjacent segment, diverticulitis-inflammation of the diverticulum, obstruction and perforation are among the major complications of this disorder. Most adult patient suffer from obstruction, diverticulitis or both.

Some people with Mickel’s diverticulum may not experience any symptoms, while in some cases it may mimic other abdominal problems such as appendicitis, Crohn’s disease and gastritis. Hence, it may be difficult to diagnose this this condition. The diagnosis of Meckel’s diverticulum may be considered in any patient experiencing unexplained abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, or intestinal bleeding. The most useful diagnostic test for Meckel’s diverticulum is with a nuclear scan which is done by injecting radioactive isotope into the bloodstream and it will collect bleeding sites or in the stomach tissue. If stomach tissue or an accumulation of blood shows up in the lower intestine it indicates Meckel’s diverticulum.

It would best for your husband to get the opinion of his doctor. Many abdominal disorders have the same manifestations and diagnostic tests will help determine whether his current symptoms are related to Meckel’s diverticulum or triggered by other diseases.

This blog entry is for your general information only. Please tell your husband to discuss his symptoms with his own doctor.

References:
Cullen JJ, Kelly KA, Moir CR, Hodge DO, Zinsmeister AR, Melton LJ 3d. Surgical management of Meckel’s diverticulum. An epidemiologic, population-based study. Ann Surg 1994;220:564-9.

Williams RS. Management of Meckel’s diverticulum. Br J Surg 1981;68:477-80.

Garretson DC, Frederich ME. Meckel’s diverticulum. Am Fam Physician 1990;42:115-9.

Artigas V, Calabuig R, Badia F, Rius X, Allende L, Jover J. Meckel’s diverticulum: value of ectopic tissue. Am J Surg 1986;151:631-4.

Tags: diverticulitis, intestine, Meckel's diverticulum, nausea, stomach, vomiting