Duplication of cervical oesophagus: a case report and review of literatures.

Foregut duplication is commonly found in the posterior mediastinum. 10-20% of these anomalies are associated with oesophageal duplication. It can occur in all parts of oesophageal length. Although duplication of cervical oesophagus has been previously reported, but a majority of them were found in thoracic oesophagus. Infants with oesophageal duplication usually manifested by respiratory distress or asymptomatic thoracic mass, casually, detected in X-ray. A 7-month-old infant weighing about 7.5 kg, with the signboard of respiratory distress, fever and nutritional intolerance was admitted to our hospital. Physical examination showed dehydration, stridor, tachypnoea, intercostal retraction and neck stiffness. Plain chest radiogram showed dubious cystic mass in the distal neck. Cervical and chest computed tomography scan showed neck cystic lesion disseminated to posterior mediastinum, probably propagated to the respiratory system. Cystic lesion connected to oesophagus was partially resected, oesophagus was repaired and remaining mucous of a cyst was removed, then gastrostomy tube was applied. Although cervical oesophageal duplication cysts are rare, but they must be considered as one of the differential diagnoses of cervical mass with respiratory distress in infants.