ABSTRACT
Congenital duplication of the gastrointestinal tract can take many forms, can occur in any part of the enteric system from mouth to anus, and can present in very many different ways. Although the term ‘duplication cyst’ is used commonly, 10-20 per cent are tubular structures (Pinter et al. 1992) that can communicate at either or both ends with the gut lumen. The spectrum of the condition includes small cysts within the wall of bowel or within other organs such as the pancreas, large tense cysts on the mesenteric border of the bowel causing luminal obstruction by stretching, and long tubular duplication or triplication of entire sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms produced by duplications vary according to their position, size, type and histology. Features common to all duplications are attachment to the gastrointestinal tract, a well-developed smooth-muscle coat and an epithelial lining of gastrointestinal origin. Multiple duplications can occur in the same patient, and other congenital anomalies may be present.
