Background: Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been identified in heterotopic gastric mucosa of Meckel's diverticulum, controversial results are reported in the pertinent literature.
Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate for the presence of H. pylori histologically using hematoxylin-eosin and Toluidine Blue in Meckel's diverticulum and by real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in those with heterotopic gastric mucosa.
Methods: The study included 21 consecutive patients who had undergone resection of Meckel's diverticulum at our hospital between 1995 and 2007. The paraffin-embedded tissues were retrieved and reviewed for the presence of histological abnormalities and H. pylori-like organisms and for the presence or absence of heterotopic mucosa. H. pylori was sought in those cases that contained heterotopic gastric mucosa using real-time TaqMan PCR to amplify a fragment of the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of H. pylori.
Results: Upon histological examination, heterotopic gastric mucosa was found to be present in 12 cases. H. pylori was not identified in any of the sections examined. A genomic PCR product was also not obtained in real-time PCR study.
Conclusions: We have confirmed that colonization of H. pylori, if it occurs at all, is exceedingly rare in heterotopic gastric mucosa of Meckel's diverticulum.