{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "kind": "condition",
  "id": "meckels-diverticulum",
  "name": "Meckel's diverticulum",
  "category": "chronic",
  "sources": "ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class DD55.02 - condition scope only, no dose · Meckel Diverticulum - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499960/ · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care · Meckel Diverticulum - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - disease-level clinical article (meckels-diverticulum-full.txt)",
  "review_status": "reviewed",
  "verified_against": "No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care · Meckel Diverticulum - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - disease-level clinical article (meckels-diverticulum-full.txt)",
  "verified_date": "2026-08",
  "treatments": [
    {
      "id": 1173,
      "generic": "No drug therapy in primary care (Recognition & Referral)",
      "line": 1,
      "is_adjunct": false,
      "form": null,
      "strength_mg": null,
      "adult_dose": "Congenital remnant of the vitelline duct in the ileum; most are asymptomatic and never diagnosed, but a symptomatic one causes painless lower GI bleeding, obstruction, or diverticulitis mimicking appendicitis in a child. Diagnosis needs imaging (Meckel scan) and surgical referral, not GP drug treatment.",
      "adult_duration": "Refer",
      "dose_source": "No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care",
      "rationale": "Congenital remnant of the vitelline duct in the ileum; most are asymptomatic and never diagnosed, but a symptomatic one causes painless lower GI bleeding, obstruction, or diverticulitis mimicking appendicitis in a child. Diagnosis needs imaging (Meckel scan) and surgical referral, not GP drug treatment.",
      "cautions": [
        "Rare in Egyptian primary care.",
        "No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.",
        "RED FLAG - Significant blood loss requires urgent volume resuscitation, with possible blood transfusion, as an immediate step alongside surgical referral.",
        "RED FLAG - Hemodynamic instability, or inconclusive diagnostic testing, is itself an indication for emergency laparotomy or laparoscopy rather than further work-up.",
        "Suspect a Meckel diverticulum in a child with recurrent or atypical intussusception, and in any patient with appendicitis-like symptoms whose appendix has already been removed.",
        "Bleeding that stops on its own is not reassurance; it commonly settles because splanchnic vessels constrict as the child becomes hypovolaemic.",
        "A normal plain abdominal film does not exclude the diagnosis, and barium studies rarely show the diverticulum.",
        "Before treating apparent rectal bleeding, check for ingested bismuth, iron or spinach, which discolour stool and mimic haematochezia.",
        "RED FLAG - Significant painless rectal bleeding in a child, signs of bowel obstruction, or peritonitis."
      ],
      "peds_mgkg_low": null,
      "peds_mgkg_high": null,
      "peds_max_mg": null,
      "peds_basis": null,
      "peds_unit": null,
      "peds_note": "Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied.",
      "peds_min_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_max_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_age_min_months": null,
      "peds_age_max_months": null,
      "peds_age_bands": null,
      "peds_doses": null,
      "brands": [],
      "condition_id": "meckels-diverticulum"
    }
  ]
}