Meckel's diverticulum

1 8.9

A pouch in the lower part of the small intestine present from birth that can cause bleeding or pain

noun
/ˈmɛkəlz daɪˈvɜrtɪkələm/

Specialized

: divertículo de Meckel

Complications of Meckel's diverticulum can include bleeding, inflammation, or bowel obstruction.

Examples

The surgeon suspected Meckel's diverticulum as the cause of the patient's abdominal pain.
Doctors often diagnose Meckel's diverticulum during imaging tests.
An ultrasound revealed that the child had a Meckel's diverticulum in his small intestine.
A Meckel's diverticulum can cause abdominal pain.
Doctors often diagnose Meckel's diverticulum during imaging studies of patients with abdominal pain.
When a baby is born with Meckel's diverticulum, it may cause complications if not treated early.
Symptoms of Meckel's diverticulum can include unexplained gastrointestinal issues in children.

Synonyms

diverticulum

vsMeckel's diverticulum

Specialized

2 9.9

A pouch that forms in the wall of a hollow organ, often the intestine

is a congenital pouch in the lower small intestine with embryonic origin

Surface Forms

Meckel's diverticulum singular

Meckel's diverticula plural

Morphology

Meckel's + diverticulum

The noun 'diverticulum' already conveys the core meaning — an abnormal sac or pouch in the intestinal wall — so a learner who knows that word can infer this is a type of intestinal pouch. However, 'Meckel's' is an eponym (a proper name) and does not transparently convey the important specific information (congenital origin, typical location in the ileum), so the full clinical sense is not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Meckel's diverticulum is named after the doctor Meckel and refers to a small pouch in the lower small intestine. The word diverticulum means a little bulge or 'pocket', so the name gives the image of a tiny pouch sticking out of the bowel and explains why it means 'a small pouch in the small intestine present from birth'.