Meckel's Diverticulum

THE presence of an appendage or diverticulum in the small intestine was observed by Lavater1 as early as 1672. In 1700, Littré described a structure that was probably a true congenital diverticulum, but stated that the appendage lacked the usual muscular coats.2 Both Ruysh and Mery recorded the phenomenon in 1701.3 Ruysh was the first to name it "diverticulum," and his Thesaurus Anatomicus contains an illustration of this blind sac. Morgagni4 in 1769 mentioned several cases of diverticulum of the ileum and suggested their embryologic origin, having previously noticed this type of diverticulum in geese. Sandifort5 described a case of . . .