title: Surgery or endoscopy to treat duodenal duplications in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastrointestinal duplications (duodenal duplications [DDs]) are a rare congenital malformation generally located in or adjacent to the medial border of the duodenal wall. The goal of therapy is surgical excision. Conservative endoscopic management represents an alternative option.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to highlight the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in guiding the endoscopic or surgical treatment of DD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2002 and 2010, 6 patients (2 male; mean age, 7.83 years; range, 2-18 years), all with recurrent acute pancreatitis, were diagnosed with DD by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Endoscopy was always performed together with EUS (Olympus UM-3R 20-MHz radial miniprobe, Tokyo, Japan). An endoscopic section of the common duodenal-DD wall, using a precut needle or sphincterotome, was chosen by EUS when the biliary tree was not involved in the DD. Otherwise, surgery with duodenotomy and complete opening of the common wall was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After EUS evaluation, endoscopic treatment was successfully performed in 4 patients, 2 of whom required surgical treatment. Bleeding occurred in 1 patient after endoscopic resection and in 1 patient after surgery. The mean follow-up time without pathologic signs was 3.3 years (range, 0.25-8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic ultrasound can effectively guide surgical or endoscopic therapies. Bleeding is a possible complication.
authors: Digestive Surgery and Endoscopy Unit, Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital, 00165, Rome, Italy. erminia.romeo@gmail.com
authors: Erminia
authors: E
authors: Romeo
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Torroni
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Foschia
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: De Angelis
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Caldaro
authors: Maria Rita
authors: MR
authors: Santi
authors: Giovanni Federici
authors: GF
authors: di Abriola
authors: Romina
authors: R
authors: Caccamo
authors: Lidia
authors: L
authors: Monti
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Dall'Oglio