Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2012; 18(11): 1270-1272
Published online Mar 21, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i11.1270
Esophageal duplication cysts: Endosonographic findings in asymptomatic patients
Anna Wiechowska-Kozłowska, Ewa Wunsch, Marek Majewski, Piotr Milkiewicz
Anna Wiechowska-Kozłowska, Marek Majewski, Department of Endoscopy, Ministry of Internal Affairs Hospital, Szczecin 70382, Poland
Ewa Wunsch, Piotr Milkiewicz, Liver Unit, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin 70111, Poland
Author contributions: Wiechowska-Kozłowska A and Wunsch E contributed equally to this work; Wiechowska-Kozłowska A, Majewski M and Milkiewicz P performed the research; Wunsch E, Wiechowska-Kozłowska A and Milkiewicz P analyzed the data; Wunsch E, Wiechowska-Kozłowska A and Milkiewicz P wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Piotr Milkiewicz, MD, MRCP, Liver Unit, Pomeranian Medical University, SPSK2, Powstancow Wlkp 72, Szczecin 70111, Poland. milkiewp@ams.edu.pl
Telephone: +48-91-8139435 Fax: +48-91-8139435
Received: May 25, 2011
Revised: November 17, 2011
Accepted: December 31, 2011
Published online: March 21, 2012
Abstract

Esophageal duplication cysts are rare inherited lesions usually diagnosed in early childhood. Most of them are found in the mediastinum and manifest themselves as separate masses along or in continuity with the native esophagus. Their prevalence remains unknown and they are treated either surgically or endoscopically. In this report we describe a series of four adult patients in whom esophageal duplication cysts were localised intramurally as masses pressing on the esophageal lumen and who were diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasonography. All patients were initially referred to other centres for upper gastroduodenoscopy due to non-specific dyspeptic symptoms. After finding suspicious lesions in the esophagus their endoscopists referred them for endoscopic ultrasound examination at our centre. In two of the cases lesions mimicked esophageal varices and the other two submucosal tumours. In all four patients endoscopic ultrasonography has shown esophageal duplication cysts. Patients had no symptoms suggesting disease of the esophagus and required no treatment. As the true prevalence of esophageal cysts is unknown, it is very likely that in many patients, like in these four described by us, they may cause no symptoms, remain undetected and require no intervention. Increasing availability of new diagnostic modalities such as endoscopic ultrasonography may change the current view regarding the prevalence of esophageal duplication cysts and prove that they may, in fact, not be such rare findings.

Keywords: Esophageal cyst; Endoscopic ultrasonography; Endovascular surgery