Tubular duplication with autonomous blood supply: resection with preservation of adjacent bowel

This 10-mo-old patient represents an unusual small bowel duplication in that: (1) the duplication involved almost the entire small intestine; (2) the technetium scan was diagnostic; and (3) the duplication was resected, leaving the majority of normal bowel intact. Bremer, in his original discussion of the embryology of intestinal duplications, hypothesized the situation that was found in this patient, i.e., separate blood supplies, which, at first glance, appear to be contained within a single mesentery. This anatomical arrangement permitted the duplication to be resected, leaving the adherent normal small intestine.