Our experience with unusual gastrointestinal tract duplications in infants

Classical duplications may present along any part of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) from mouth to anus. Atypical or unusual rare varieties of GIT duplications may also occur, but with different anatomical features.

We reviewed our 5-year record (February 2008-January 2013) to describe clinical profile of unusual GIT duplications in neonates and small infants.

Three patients with atypical variety of GIT duplications were managed in our department during this tenure. Two were females and one male. Age was ranged between 11 days and 2 months. All patients presented with massive abdominal distension causing respiratory embarrassment in two of them. In all patients, the pre-operative differential diagnoses also included GIT duplication cysts. Computerized tomography (CT) scan showed single huge cyst in one and multiple cysts in two patients. In one patient the CT scan also depicted a thoracic cyst in relation to posterior mediastinum. At operation, one patient had colonic tubular duplication cyst along with another isolated duplication cyst, the second case had a tubular duplication cyst of ileum with its segmental dilatation, and in the third case two isolated duplications were found. Duplication cysts were excised along with mucosal stripping in one patient, cyst excision and intestinal resection and anastomosis in one patient, and only cysts excision in one. All patients did well post-operatively.

We presented unusual GIT duplications. These duplications are managed on similar lines as classical duplications with good prognosis when dealt early.