CYST OF THE URACHUS ASSOCIATED WITH A MEC KEL DIVERTICULUM

Meckel diverticulum and residual urachus have a common embryological o rigin : the yolk sac at the eight day of life. Their course is indepen dent but the underlying mechanisms are identical. Meckel diverticulum occurs in 2 to 4 % of the population. Clinical signs are often absent and complications occur in 4 % of the cases (haemorrhage, occlusion, i nflammation, and rarely tumoural formation). Residual urachus occurs a s a cystic formation, a sinus or a fistulization and may degenerate in to adenocarcionoma of severe prognosis. The reported association has n ot apparently been reported previously in the literature. Due to the r isk of cancerization, it is suggested that residual urachus should be searched in cases of Meckel diverticulum.