[Upper digestive duplications in adults]

Congenital gastrointestinal duplications are uncommonly diagnosed in adult patients, and generally present as a cystic or occasionally tubular malformation. The duplication is composed of a smooth muscle wall continuous with the muscle layer of the intestinal wall and an inner mucosal lining. From December 1988 to May 1994, five patients were operated for gastrointestinal tract duplications [esophageal (1), gastric (2), duodenal (2)]. Duplications were symptomatic in three patients, and discovered incidentally in the other two. The diagnosis was established by ultrasonography (3 patients) and computed tomography (one patient). One female presented an adenocarcinoma arising in an esophageal duplication and died one year after surgical resection. Because of potential malignant transformation, these malformations must be resected. Preoperative diagnosis is important for conservative resection, except in the presence of malignancy when resection must be curative.