Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) colonize only foveolar gastric-type mucosa and are associated with active chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H. pylori can also be found in Meckel's diverticulum which contains heterotopic gastric mucosa.
Methods: Biopsy specimens of Meckel's diverticulum resected in Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, during the 10 year period 1986-1995 were retrieved and reviewed. Those containing gastric heterotopia were examined for the presence of H. pylori, using Warthin-Starry silver stain.
Results: In the 59 cases of Meckel's diverticula studied, 16 were found to contain heterotopic gastric mucosa. Helicobacter pylori were not identified in any of these cases. In one of the 16 patients a concomitant gastric biopsy was performed. Although the gastric mucosa of this patient was heavily colonized by H. pylori, again no H. pylori was found in the heterotopic gastric mucosa in the Meckel's diverticulum.
Conclusions: The absence of H. pylori in all the Meckel's diverticula examined, even when the stomach was heavily colonized by the organisms, suggests that colonization of Meckel's diverticulum by H. pylori is a rare event. This, together with the overall rarity of H. pylori in all reported series of Meckel's diverticulum, argues against its causative role in complications of Meckel's diverticulum.