ALIMENTARY-TRACT DUPLICATIONS

A total of 17 patients with aliment;in tract duplications underwent su rgery ar National Taiwan University Hospital from 1978 to 1994, Fiftee n patients (88%) had gastrointestinal duplication and two (12%) had es ophageal duplication. Common presenting symptoms of gastrointestinal d uplication were melena and abdominal pain. The ileum was the most comm on site of duplication. Multiple duplications were seen in three patie nts. All duplications were cystic, except for single appendiceal dupli cation. Ectopic gastric mucosa was detected in nine of the 16 nongastr ic duplications. One patient with ileal duplication had ectopic pancre atic tissue. Twelve patients received resection of the duplication wit h a segment of bowel and primary anastomosis three patient underwent s imple excision and two patients had partial resection of tile duplicat ion with and stripping of the residual mucosa. Two patients had other associated congenital anomalies: one had ventricular septal defect and the other, imperforate anus and malrotation of intestine. There was I lo operative mortality or morbidity in this series.