A large abdominal cyst in a neonate

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (enteric) duplication consists of a tubular or cystic structure that develops along the intestinal tube, with an estimated incidence of 1/10,000 in live births and 1/4500 in necropsies of neonates and fetuses. This congenital anomaly can appear in any portion of the intestinal tract; from the mouth to the rectum, with the ileum being the most common location. We herein report the case of a 5-day-old patient with a prenatal diagnosis of megacolon or mesenteric cyst. At laparotomy, a cystic mass attached to the terminal ileum was noted approximately 5 cm from the ileo-caecal valve. This mass was entirely resected and pathology studies classified the specimen as Type 1B intestinal duplication according to the Long classification. Intestinal duplications are rare abnormalities of the embryological development of the gastrointestinal tract and usually present in childhood. The diagnosis can be made during antenatal follow-up. They can be asymptomatic or present with a variety of symptoms in relation to the location, the age of the patient or complications of the duplication. The diagnosis is suggested by abdominal X-rays and ultrasonography, and computerized axial tomography scan with contrast studies, but the definitive diagnosis is made by histopathological examination of the surgical specimen.