Abstract
Duplication cysts of the alimentary tract are rare congenital malformations. Duplications usually present in infancy or chilhood, and presentation in adults is rare. A 35-year-old female was admitted to hospital because of the sudden onset of massive GI tract bleeding and abdominal pain. She had experienced several episodes of severe melena from the time of her infancy. Under a tentative diagnosis of a duplication of the small intestine, suggested by a closer examination, an emergency laparotomy was performed. During the laparotomy, a 30-cm long duplication cyst was found firmly attached to the ileum. A histological examination revealed that the ileal duplication contained gastric-pyloric glands and exhibited signs of ulceration. Careful angiograpies may be of great importance in the management of patients with massive hemorrhages of the gastrointestinal tract.
