Objective: To assess the possible role of colonisation of ectopic gastric mucosa in Meckel's diverticula by Helicobacter pylori in causing inflammation, ulceration, perforation and bleeding.
Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Three hospitals in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Material: Specimens of 65 diverticula, 49 of which had been resected incidentally, and 16 of which had been thought to be the presenting feature.
Main outcome measure: The presence of H. pylori in gastric mucosa.
Results: 19 Diverticula contained ectopic tissue, 18 gastric and one pancreatic tissue. Gastric tissue was found in 10 of the diverticula removed incidentally, and 8 of those that were thought to be symptomatic. In 5 of the 8 there were signs of complications that might have been related directly to the presence of gastric tissue (perforation--n = 3; bleeding--n = 1; and peptic stenosis--n = 1), and none contained H. pylori. H. pylori was found in only one of the 18 diverticula, in which there were also signs of gastritis.
Conclusion: H. pylori has no role in the pathogenesis of the complications of Meckel's diverticula.