Intra-abdominal esophageal duplication cysts: a review

Esophageal duplication cysts (EDCs) are well described within the literature, normally occurring within the mediastinum. Intra-abdominal EDCs are rare and typically occur near the intra-abdominal esophagus. Herein, we describe two cases of intra-abdominal EDCs: a 60-year-old man who was incidentally found to have a retro-duodenal cystic mass and a 50-year-old woman with a cystic lesion near the body and tail of her pancreas causing left flank pain. Both patients underwent enucleation of their respective masses. Pathology revealed ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with scattered mucus-secreting cells and two smooth muscle layers in the cyst wall of both patients, consistent with EDCs. Although intra-abdominal EDCs have been reported in the literature, our two cases and a review of the literature indicate that these lesions are not always adherent to or even near the intra-abdominal esophagus.