INTESTINAL DUPLICATION ASSOCIATED TO PERFORATION IN A PEDIATRIC PATIENT: CASE REPORT

Abstract Introduction: Intestinal duplication associated with perforation is rare in children. This malformation can present with non-specific symptoms or even asymptomatically, until it is found as an incidental finding on diagnostic images. Perforation of the duplicated segment occurs mainly in adults and requires emergency surgical intervention. Case presentation: A 10-year-old patient was referred for suspected acute appendicitis due to generalized abdominal pain, emetic episodes, and fever, with imaging findings of a thickened tubular loop with signs of perforation associated with intra-abdominal collection, for which she was taken to laparoscopic appendectomy. A communicating loop with contained perforation was evident in the distal ileum, which required resection and end-to-end anastomosis. The pathology report confirms the diagnosis of perforated intestinal duplication. Conclusion: Intestinal duplication is a rare pathology. In patients who present gastrointestinal symptoms with signs of an inflammatory response, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis since it may be associated with intestinal obstruction or perforation. Keywords: Gastrointestinal tract, intestinal perforation, congenital anomalies, cyst, surgical anastomosis