Tubular colonic duplication in an adult: case report and brief literature review

Abstract

Gastrointestinal tract duplication is a rare congenital anomaly that can occur anywhere along the alimentary tract. Most of the reported patients present with acute abdomen during childhood. We describe a case of tubular colonic duplication in an adult. The patient was a 25-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and emesis for 3 days. The physical examination was remarkable for abdominal distension, tenderness, and rigidity. Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed abnormal intestinal dilatation. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and tubular colonic duplication was identified intraoperatively. The diagnosis was verified by postoperative pathology results. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 14 and followed for 2 years without specific events or complications. Furthermore, we reviewed the published literature on colorectal duplication in adults for the past two decades.