Successful endoscopic treatment of an esophageal duplication cyst

Abstract

Duplication cysts of the gastrointestinal tract are rare, particularly in adults. Endoscopic minimally invasive treatment is still a challenging approach even in the endoscopically accessible sections of the gastrointestinal tract. In a 25-year-old patient suffering from dysphagia, an endoscopy and subsequent endosonography revealed a spherical duplication cyst in the lower third of the esophagus, which prompted us to puncture the cyst and subsequently to perform a fenestration (marsupialization; diameter 1 cm) in the anterior wall of the cyst, resulting in permanent drainage of the cystic fluid. Because of the recurrent complaints of the patient after 6 weeks, the anterior wall of the duplication cyst, the former esophageal wall, was partially resected, resulting in a permanent 4-cm opening including the cystic cavity into the esophageal lumen. Thereafter, there were no further complaints from the patient and the findings in the follow-up endoscopy were normal. A successful endoscopic intervention for this type of gastrointestinal duplication cyst is described for the first time. The minimally invasive resection of the anterior wall of the esophageal duplication cyst, simultaneously with the former regular wall at this segment of the esophagus, resulted in permanent inclusion of the cystic cavity into the esophageal lumen with no disadvantageous passage of fluid and food through the lower esophagus or changes in the former cystic epithelium. This method is considered to be feasible and a reasonable treatment alternative to the more invasive surgical approach.