title: Obliterated, fibrous omphalo-mesenteric duct in an adult without Meckel's diverticulum or vitelline cyst.
abstract: Vitello-intestinal [omphalo-mesenteric duct (OMD)] connects the developing mid-gut to the primitive yolk sac, provides nutrition to the embryo and remains patent and connected to the intestines until the fifth to ninth week of gestational period. Varied remnants of the vitello-intestinal duct have been reported. The present case-report describes a completely obliterated fibrous remnant of the duct. The remnant presented as a thick cord extending from the umbilicus towards the terminal part of the ileum and beyond. The terminal part of the cord showed a few ramifications that ended in the mesentery. This embryological entity was not found to be associated with any other anomaly usually related to non-regression of the vitello-intestinal duct. Though very rare, the occurrence of such innocuous band of fibrous cord across the abdominal cavity may cause entanglement of intestinal loops around it. Possibility of such a situation should be suspected in an acute abdominal condition. The structure reported in this study might not be detected by investigations used to uncover common anomalies of patent vitello-intestinal ducts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS), Indore-Ujjain Highway, Bhawrasala, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. mahatonk@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mahato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002102:Cadaver; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008467:Meckel Diverticulum / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014816:Vitelline Duct / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*