CASE REPORT  
Niger J Paed 2013; 40 (1) :82 –84  
Mava Y  
Chinda JY  
Baba UA  
Caecal duplication in a neonate  
causing intestinal obstruction  
Malgwi ED  
Sajor JN  
Difirwiti HC  
DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njp.v40i1.16  
Accepted: 7th March 2012  
Abstract Intestinal duplication is Intraoperative findings revealed  
one of the rare congenital abnor- caecal duplication causing the intes-  
malities encountered. Duplications tinal obstruction. Limited excision  
found on the small intestine are and ileo-ascending colic anastomo-  
more commonly encountered in sis was carried out. Patient re-  
clinical practice than the large intes- sponded well and was discharged  
tine and majority of these occurs in on follow-up.  
(
) Baba UA  
Mava Y  
Department of Paediatrics,  
Chinda JY  
Department of Surgery, University of  
Maiduguri Teaching Hospital,  
Maiduguri, Nigeria.  
E-mail: yakubumava@gmail.com  
Tel: +2348036301748  
the ileum. We present a three-week  
old neonate with features of intesti- Key words: Neonate, caecum, du-  
nal obstruction a presumptive diag- plication, obstruction  
nosis of intususception with pre-  
Malgwi ED, Sajor JN, Difirwiti HC  
Department of Paediatrics, Federal  
Medical Centre, Yola, Nigeria.  
sumed sepsis was made.  
6
Introduction  
doubling of the lumen. The theory of partial twinning  
which suggest that the axial structures in hindgut dupli-  
Congenital abnormality of the g1astrointestinal system  
has been reported by Ambe et al to be the commonest  
congenital abnormalities seen in neonate in North-  
Eastern Nigeria. Despite this, enter2ic duplications (ED)  
are rare congenital abnormalities and have not been  
reported in recent times in North-Eastern Nigeria. De-  
spite the rarity of this condition, many cases have been2,  
reported in literatures both within and outside Nigeria.  
cations are twinned because of split in the primitive  
streaks, resulting in two notochords separated at their  
caudal ends which later fuses during cranial elongation  
6
of the embryo. Finally, the theory of errors of epithelial  
recanalization that allow formation of cysts located in-  
tramural this would e2,x6plain the presence of small sub  
mucosal duplications.  
3, 4, 5  
Duplications in the small intestine are the most  
Despite these theories the exact etiology of ED has not  
yet been established. Signs and symptoms due to ED  
may be variable a4n,5d,6 simulate other diseases depending  
2
common and majority of these occurs in the ileum. The  
duplication may either be cystic or tubular and most of  
3
them are located on the mesentry of the intestine. Pa-  
on their locations.  
These varied signs and symptoms  
tients with colonic duplication who remain undiagnosed  
into adulth2o,o4d, malignant changes into adenocarcinoma  
can occur.  
include; pain, vomiting, nausea, bleeding, abdominal  
distention with or without mass, dysphagia, dyspepsia,  
respiratory distress, perforation, chro3n-5ic, 7, 8constipation  
and obstruction of the alimentary tract.  
Most cases  
2,  
Many theories of embryogenic o2r,i6gin to explain the  
o3,f5 ED are diagnosed incidentally especially at surgery.  
cause of ED have been proposed,  
the split notochord  
theory, is believed to be due to errors in normal embryo-  
logic canalization, as the gut endoderm herniates  
through the notochord the developing gut become en-  
trapped diverticular. While the persisten,t6 neuroenteric  
Plain abdominal radiograph and contrast radiographic  
studies such as swallow, meal, follow through and ene-  
mas could be of diagnostic value. Ultrasound and mag-  
5
5
canal explains the vertebral anormalies. The embry-  
netic resonance imagi2n,5g (MRI) findings may be valu-  
onic diverticular theory is due to failure of regression of  
the embryonic diverticular this result in the small cystic  
duplications noted in the intestinal wall2,6and sometimes  
able diagnostic tools. Computerized tomography scan  
2
, 5  
(CT) is of use in delineating surrounding structures.  
Once the diagnosis is established, the treatment is surgi-  
cal and the outcome is generally good. We present our  
experience in the management of three-week old neo-  
nate with caecal duplication.  
enteric cyst seen in the presacral areas.  
The theory of  
median septum formation, suggest that the walls of adja-  
cent fetal bowel may be flattened by extrinsic compres-  
sion with subsequent adherence and fusion resulting in  
8
3
2
-5, 8  
Case Report  
with many series reported in literatures,  
ho9 wever  
other workers have reported no sex predil1e0ction, while  
others found female: male ration of 9:4. Patients may  
present with abdominal pain, this was observed with  
difficulties in our patient as he was having intermittent  
cry which may be due to abdominal pain. Vomiting was  
one of the main presenting symptoms in our patient,  
together with abdominal distention and palpable mass in  
the abdomen. These presentations were in conson2a,n3c, 5e,  
with other reports especially from Ile Ife and Ilorin.  
A.Y.U., a three week old male neonate presented to the  
Special Care Baby Unit of the Federal Medical Centre  
Yola on 18 June 2011 with abdominal distention, fever,  
vomiting and constipation for a week. Child had passed  
meconium within the first 24 hours of delivery. The an-  
tenatal history of the mother suggested no evidence of  
polyhydramnous, diabetes or hypertension. Delivery  
was at term attended by traditional birth attendant  
th  
8
(
TBA) but was uneventful. Upon examination, the sig-  
The index patient also had fever, which may be as a  
o
nificant findings were fever with temperature 38.5 C,  
the weight was 3.25 kg, the abdomen was uniformly  
distended with a mass measuring about 6 cm х 6 cm in  
the right flank with hyperactive bowel sound. A pre-  
sumptive diagnosis of intususception with sepsis was  
made.  
result of sepsis being one of the complications of intesti-  
8
nal obstruction because of bacterial translocation. Diag-  
nosis of ED is rarely made on clinical ground until sur-5  
gery because of non specificity of symptoms and signs.  
The index patient had localized type of ceacal duplica-  
tion which may explain why there were no other con-  
genital abnormalities especially of the 2skeletal system  
found on plain radiograph or ultrasound.  
Plain abdominal radiography showed distended bowel  
loops with no air-fluid levels, but abdominal ultrasound  
scan was reported as normal. Blood culture yielded no  
bacterial growth. Complete blood count, differentials  
counts, Serum electrolytes and urea were within normal  
limits. The patient was commenced on antibiotics for  
presumed sepsis. Temperature became normal within  
three days of treatment, but there was no significant im-  
provement with abdominal distention. On the fifth day  
abdominal distention worsened with visible peristaltic  
waves from right to left across the lower abdomen. Ten  
days into admission patient was optimized for explora-  
tory laparatomy, which showed duplication of the  
caecum (Fig 1). Limited excision and ileo-ascending  
colic anastomosis was done, histological examination  
confirmed the diagnosis of caecal duplication. Patient  
responded to treatment and was discharged on followed-  
up.  
Never the less other workers within and outside Nigeria  
have reported associated malformation which include;  
ventricular septal defect, malrotation of the gut, situs  
inversus, oesophageal atresis, Down syndrome, imperfo-  
rate anus, mesenteric cyst, absence of the lef2t-4r, e8,c1t1us ab-  
dominis muscle and short ascending colon.  
Ab-  
dominal ultrasound in this patient did not show any re-  
markable findings, there was a similar experience in  
5
Ilorin. The diagnosis was missed on ultrasound may be  
because of low index of suspicion, limitation imposed  
by overlying bowel gas and probably the technical know  
-how of the sonographer. Computerized tomographic  
scan (CT scan) and MRI could have been very useful in  
establishing the diagnosis, which will show a three-  
layered image representing the d,u5plication cyst, com-  
2
mon wall and outer bowel wall. These imaging mo-  
dalities have helped in making prenatal diagnosis in  
some cases.  
Fig 1: Cystic duplication of the caecum  
However we lack the facilities to carry out these investi-  
gations. Laporatomy was carried out and the patient had  
limited excision and ileo-ascending colic anastomosis.  
Surgical treatment generally is offered to all patients  
with ED, the main considerations are the age, lo-5cation,  
3
types of lesions and the condition of the patient. Index  
patient did well postoperatively and was discharged on  
follow-up.  
Although rare, enteric duplications do exist in our envi-  
ronment and this demand for high index of suspicion  
and meticulous management, to avoid patient’s untold  
suffering and complications.  
Conflict of interest: None  
Funding: None  
Discussion  
The signs and symptoms of ED depend on the size, loca-  
tion and the nature of the m5u, 7c,o8sal lining, associated  
anomalies and complications.  
However, most cases  
Acknowledgment  
3
r-5e,p7orted in literature present within the first year of life.  
Some patient may not be symptomatic until school  
We thank the Nursing Staff in the Special Care Baby  
Unit, for the care given to the patient.  
3
, 5, 8  
Our patient is a male which agrees  
age or adulthood.  
8
4
Reference  
1
.
Ambe JP, Madziga AG, Akpede  
GO, Mava Y. Pattern and out  
come of congenital malformations  
in newborn babies in a Nigerian  
Teaching Hospital. West Afr J Med  
5. Abur-Rahman LO, Abdulkadir AY,  
Nasir AA, Ibrahim OOK,  
8. Karnak I, Ocal T, Senocat ME,  
Tanyel FC, Buyukpamukcu N.  
Alimentary tract duplications in  
children: report of 26 years experi-  
ence. Turk J Paediatr 2000; 42:  
118-25.  
9. Pinter AB, Schubert W, Szemledy  
F. Alimentary tract duplications in  
infants and children. Eur J Paedi-  
atr. Surg 1992; 2: 8-12.  
10. Vannenville G, Scheye T,  
Dechelotte P. Duplications of the  
alimentary tract in children. Chi-  
rugie Int. 1996; 15-18.  
11. Adejuyigbe O, Hamed AO, Fadiran  
OA. Gastric duplication: A case  
report andreview of the literature.  
Niger Med J. 1988; 18: 357-361.  
Adeniran JO, Adeniyun OAM.  
Gastrointestinal duplications: Ex-  
perience in seven children and a  
review of the literature. Saudi J  
Gastroenterol. 2010; 16 (2): 105-  
9.  
6. Wrenn EI Jr. Alimentary tract du-  
plications. In: Asheraft KW,  
HoldernTd M eds. Paediatric Sur-  
gery. 2 ed Philadelphia, WB  
Saunders. 1993: 421-4  
7. Ameh EA, Jimoh AO, Rafindadi  
AH, Shehu SM. Duplication cyst  
causing respiratory obstruction: A  
case report. East Afr Med J 2000;  
77: 394-5.  
2
010; 29: 24-9.  
2
.
Kurt H. Intestinal duplications In:  
Keith T. Oldham, Paul M. Colom-  
bain and Robert P. Fogha eds.  
Surgery of infants and children:  
Scientific Principle and Practice.  
Lippincott-Raven (publisher)  
Philadelphia 1997: 1265-1274.  
Adejuyigbe O, Olayinka OS, So-  
wande OA, Abubakar AM. Gastro-  
intestinal duplications in Ile-Ife,  
Nigeria. East Afr Med J. 2002; 79  
3
4
.
.
(3): 134-6.  
Agugua NEN, Ikerionwu SE. Du-  
pliaction of the caecum: A cause  
of intestinal obstruction in the  
infant. WAJM 1983; 2 (1): 35-9.