Meckel, Johann Friedrich


Meckel, Johann Friedrich (the elder)

(mek'el) Ger. anatomist, 1724–1774.

Meckel's ganglion

A ganglion located in the sphenomaxillary fossa giving off nerves to eyes, nose, and palate.

Meckel's space

Cavum trigeminale.

Meckel, Johann Friedrich (the younger)

(mek'el) Ger. anatomist, 1781–1833, grandson of J.F. Meckel, the elder.

Meckel's cartilage

A cartilaginous bar about which the mandible develops.

Meckel's diverticulum

A congenital sac or blind pouch found in the lower portion of the ileum. It represents the persistent proximal end of the yolk stalk. Sometimes it is continued to the umbilicus as a cord or as a tube forming a fistulous opening at the umbilicus. The diverticulum may become a focal point for intestinal obstruction progressing to strangulation; become inflamed with symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis; and as a result of the variable presence of gastric mucosa, may develop peptic ulcer symptoms, including hemorrhage. Surgery is necessary for any of these clinical presentations. See: diverticulitis

Meckel's plane

A plane through the auricular and alveolar points.

Meckel's scan

A radionuclide scan to demonstrate the presence of a Meckel's diverticulum. The diverticulum may be difficult to visualize with plain films, barium studies, colonoscopy, or CT imaging.

Meckel,

Johann Friedrich, the elder, German anatomist and obstetrician, 1714-1774. Meckel band - the portion of the anterior ligament of the malleus that extends from the base of the anterior process through the petrotympanic fissure, to attach to the spine of the sphenoid. Synonym(s): Meckel ligamentMeckel caveMeckel cavity - Synonym(s): Meckel spaceMeckel ganglion - a small parasympathetic ganglion in the upper part of the pterygopalatine fossa. Synonym(s): pterygopalatine ganglionMeckel ligament - Synonym(s): Meckel bandMeckel space - the cleft in the meningeal layer of dura of the middle cranial fossa that encloses the roots of the trigeminal nerve and the trigeminal ganglion. Synonym(s): Meckel cavity; trigeminal caveMeckel sphenopalatine ganglionectomy

Meckel,

Johann Friedrich, the younger, German anatomist and embryologist, 1781-1833. Meckel cartilage - a temporary supporting structure in the embryonic mandible. Synonym(s): mandibular cartilageMeckel diverticulum - the remains of the yolk stalk of the embryo.Meckel-Gruber syndrome - a malformation syndrome. Synonym(s): dysencephalia splanchnocystica; Meckel syndromeMeckel plane - a craniometric plane cutting the alveolar and the auricular points.Meckel scan - use of technetium-99m pertechnetate in a scan of the gastric mucosa to detect ectopic gastric mucosa in Meckel diverticulum.Meckel syndrome - Synonym(s): Meckel-Gruber syndrome