Enteric duplication cyst

Template:Short description Enteric duplication cysts, sometimes simply called duplication cysts, are rare congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract.<ref name="pmid12235349">Template:Cite journal</ref> They most frequently occur in the small intestine, particularly the ileum, but can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract.<ref name="pmid12235349"/> They may be cystic or tubular in conformation.<ref name="Muratore">Template:Cite book</ref>

The condition of having duplication cysts has been called intestinal duplication.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms depend on the location of the duplication. Duplications occurring high in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. esophageal) may cause difficulty breathing due to compression of the airway. Lower gastrointestinal duplications (e.g. duodenum, colon) can be associated with abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, a palpable mass, vomiting, or may cause bowel obstruction. Smaller lesions can act as a so-called "lead point" for intussusception.<ref name="Zahir">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Treatment

Duplications are usually removed surgically, even if they are found incidentally (i.e. not causing symptoms or encountered on routine studies for other reasons), as there is a high incidence of complications resulting from untreated cases.<ref name="Zahir" /> Cysts are often technically easier to remove than tubular malformations since tubular structures usually share a blood supply with the associated gut.<ref name="Muratore" />

External links

• Gastrointestinal duplications at Medscape