A case report of ectopic pancreatitis in an isolated enteric duplication cyst

Isolated enteric duplication cyst is an intestinal duplication cyst found in a distant location from the intestinal tract and it is said to have its own blood supply. Meckel's diverticulm is considered as an antimesenteric structure and has its own blood supply. However, there are some reported cases of Meckele's diverticum in the mesenteric side. Ectopic pancreas may be found in both entities.

A 5-year-old girl presented with increasing abdominal pain around the umbilicus. On laboratory investigation serum pancreatic enzymes and C-reactive protein were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a normal pancreas but a cystic lesion in the mesentery of the ileum. A nodule with a marked enhancement was observed in the wall of the lesion. During the laparoscopy, the lesion was found at the root of the mesentery and was distant from the ileum. The lesion was resected suspecting an abscess. Pathologically, the wall of the lesion consisted of small bowel like tissue, and pancreatic tissue was seen beneath the mucosa. There were some post inflammatory changes in the pancreatic tissue. Retrospectively on thin slice enhanced CT, an independent blood supply was noted. Based on these findings, a diagnosis of ectopic pancreatitis in an iliac intestinal duplication cyst was made.

Isolated enteric duplication cyst in the root of ileal mesentery and mesenteric Meckel's diverticulum have similarities. In the present case, the diagnosis of isolated enteric duplication cyst was made since it was found distant from the ileum. It is important to consider the possibility of ectopic pancreatitis when serum pancreatic enzymes are elevated even when the pancreas appears normal.