Duplication (Differential Diagnosis as before)

Operative findings in a 12.5-year-old boy with acute abdominal emergency. Abnormal structure which lies at the mesenteric side of the small intestine. Considering the site of this structure it cannot be a Meckel's diverticulum. The diagnosis is a duplication of the small intestine. The symptoms and signs of the duplications depend on the localization, shape (cystic as in the presented boy, or tubular), and a possible communication with the lumen of the involved intestine. In case of the relatively frequent duplications of the small intestine, compression of the adjacent intestine with ileus, intussusception, or evacuation of blood by the anus due to ectopic gastric mucosa are the main complications; in the latter case a technetium scintigraphy may be diagnostically useful. Due to the intimate connection with the wall of the adjacent intestinal segment the removal of a duplication may be technically difficult.