Enteric duplication cysts of the pancreas: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Enteric duplication cysts are rare congenital malformations that are most commonly diagnosed in children. Enteric duplications associated with the pancreas are especially uncommon, and may present with specific clinical findings such as severe pancreatitis. These cysts often pose unique surgical challenges. In addition, the diagnosis of pancreatic duplication cysts is often difficult, and may be confused with pancreatic pseudocysts or neoplasms. Herein we report two cases of pancreatic duplication cysts, and present a complete tabulation of all case reports of pancreatic-associated duplication cysts reported in the English literature. We conclude that pancreatic duplication cysts are a rare entity, most commonly found to occur in infants and children. We further find that although severe complications may arise as a result of their presentation and treatment, the rate of post-operative complications in patients between 3 and 21 years of age is extremely low, with the highest complication rate occurring in a bimodal distribution (< 3-years and > 21-years of age). Despite complications in the youngest and older patient populations, surgical excision remains the mainstay of therapy for pancreatic duplication cysts in all age groups.