Objective: Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism known to colonize in gastric type of mucosa and is associated with gastritis and peptic ulceration. The aim of the study was to determine whether colonization of H pylori in heterotopic gastric mucosa plays a role in bleeding of Meckel's diverticulum.

Methods: Histopathologic slides of patients who had undergone resection of Meckel's diverticulum in recent 5 years were reexamined for the presence of H pylori in heterotopic gastric mucosa. Polimerase chain reaction (PCR) test was used to trace the genetic material of urease gene and 16s rDNA amplifications for H pylori.

Results: Thirteen of the 30 histopathologic slides of Meckel's diverticula had heterotopic gastric mucosa. Ten of the 13 patients presented with acute bleeding of the diverticula, whereas 3 of them were asymptomatic. None of the 13 gastric mucosa bearing diverticula were colonized with H pylori. PCR was unable to show any trace of genetic material for H pylori.

Conclusions: Although the role of H pylori is well established in the gastric mucosal ulceration, its presence is not essentially required to induce "heterotopic gastritis" that may result in bleeding of the Meckel's diverticulum. .