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PubMed This is a summary of 19 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Gastric Duplication Cyst

Symptoms and Potential Complications

At a Glance

Gastric duplication cysts can cause vomiting and abdominal blockages in children, while adults may experience vague stomach pain or remain asymptomatic. Complications depend on whether the cyst connects to the stomach, which can lead to bleeding, infection, or severe pressure.

Symptoms of a gastric duplication cyst can vary significantly depending on the age of the patient and where the cyst is located. While some cysts are found “incidentally” (during a scan for an unrelated issue), others make themselves known through physical discomfort or mechanical disruptions in the digestive tract [1][2].

How Symptoms Differ by Age

The way the body reacts to a duplication cyst often changes as a person grows.

  • In Children: Symptoms often appear early and are related to blockages. Parents may notice non-bilious vomiting (vomiting that does not contain green bile), abdominal swelling, or a “lump” (palpable mass) in the belly [3][4]. Infants are particularly prone to gastric outlet obstruction, where the cyst prevents food from leaving the stomach [5][6].
  • In Adults: Many adults have no symptoms at all for years [1]. When symptoms do occur, they tend to be vague, such as epigastric pain (pain in the upper middle abdomen), a feeling of fullness, nausea, or unintended weight loss [7][8].

Communicating vs. Non-Communicating Cysts

Doctors categorize these cysts based on whether they “talk” to the rest of the stomach. If a gastric duplication cyst is an “extra room” built onto the stomach, a communicating cyst is a room with an open door to the main house, while a non-communicating cyst is a room with no door.

Regardless of the type, nearly all cysts are lined with mucosa (stomach lining) that secretes fluid or acid [6]. The difference lies in what happens to that fluid:

  • Communicating Cysts: These are physically connected to the interior of the stomach (the “open door”). They drain their acid directly into the main stomach, which can sometimes lead to ulcers or internal bleeding [6][9].
  • Non-Communicating Cysts: These are closed pouches (the “closed door”). Because the fluid they secrete has nowhere to go, they can balloon in size and build intense pressure, pressing on nearby organs or becoming infected [10][3].

Potential Complications

If a duplication cyst is left untreated, several complications can arise:

  1. Hemorrhage: The cyst lining may bleed, which can cause hematemesis (vomiting blood) or dark, tarry stools [10].
  2. Infection: Fluid trapped inside a non-communicating cyst can become infected, leading to an abscess, fever, and severe pain [11]. While spontaneous infection can happen, infections are sometimes caused by prior diagnostic needle biopsies (FNA), which reinforces why doctors often recommend skipping biopsies [11].
  3. Perforation: In rare cases, the cyst wall can tear or “pop,” leaking its contents into the abdominal cavity and causing a serious inflammatory reaction called peritonitis [12][13].
  4. Malignant Transformation: While extremely rare in children, there is a documented risk for adults that the cells in the cyst wall could become cancerous (specifically adenocarcinoma) over many decades [14][15].

Conditions That Look Similar

Because the symptoms of a gastric duplication cyst—like pain and vomiting—are common to many digestive issues, they can sometimes be confused with other conditions [2]. Doctors must carefully rule out:

  • Pancreatic Pseudocysts: Fluid collections near the pancreas [16].
  • GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors): A type of tumor that grows in the digestive tract wall [6].
  • Adrenal or Retroperitoneal Cysts: Cysts located in the back of the abdominal cavity [17].
  • Ectopic Pancreas: A separate condition where a small “island” of pancreatic tissue grows in the stomach wall, which can sometimes even be located inside a duplication cyst [18][19].

Common questions in this guide

What are the symptoms of a gastric duplication cyst in a child?
In children, symptoms often relate to a blockage in the digestive tract. Parents may notice vomiting without green bile, swelling in the belly, or feel a lump in the abdomen.
What is the difference between a communicating and non-communicating cyst?
A communicating cyst is physically connected to the interior of the stomach and drains acid into it, which can cause ulcers. A non-communicating cyst is a closed pouch where fluid is trapped, leading to pressure build-up and potential infection.
Can a gastric duplication cyst turn into cancer?
While extremely rare in children, there is a small risk for adults that the cells in the cyst wall could develop into a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma over many decades.
What are the warning signs that a stomach cyst is bleeding?
If the cyst lining bleeds, you might experience vomiting that looks like coffee grounds or contains blood. Another major warning sign is passing very dark, tarry stools, which requires immediate medical attention.
Why might doctors advise against a needle biopsy for this cyst?
Doctors sometimes recommend skipping a needle biopsy because puncturing a non-communicating cyst can introduce bacteria. This may cause the trapped fluid inside to become infected and form a painful abscess.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.Is the cyst located near the pylorus, and if so, how does that affect the risk of a blockage?
  2. 2.Does the imaging show whether this is a communicating or non-communicating cyst?
  3. 3.Are there any signs of ectopic pancreatic tissue that could cause inflammation or pancreatitis?
  4. 4.What other conditions, such as a GIST or pancreatic pseudocyst, were ruled out during the diagnosis?
  5. 5.If we choose to monitor the cyst rather than operate immediately, what specific 'red flag' symptoms should I watch for?

Questions For You

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References

References (19)
  1. 1

    Gastric duplication cyst in the adult. A case report.

    Azorín-Samper MDC, Fernández-Palop I, Segura-Jiménez MJ, et al.

    Cirugia y cirujanos 2019; (87(S1)):73-76 doi:10.24875/CIRU.19000837.

    PMID: 31501622
  2. 2

    Clinical Characteristics of Gastric Duplication in Children.

    Liu F, Xu X, Lan M, et al.

    Frontiers in pediatrics 2022; (10()):857056 doi:10.3389/fped.2022.857056.

    PMID: 35419317
  3. 3

    Gastric duplication cyst causing gastric outlet obstruction.

    Al Shehi M, Ali M, Abdelrahim , El Gohary A

    Journal of neonatal surgery 2012; (1(3)):42.

    PMID: 26023401
  4. 4

    Late presentation of gastric duplication cyst in pediatric patient: Lessons learned.

    Chait F, Bahlouli N, Faraj C, et al.

    Radiology case reports 2024; (19(8)):3400-3404 doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2024.04.057.

    PMID: 38827040
  5. 5

    Congenital gastric duplication cyst: A case report of a 36 day-old girl.

    Nwakor S, Reinshagen K, Suß J, et al.

    Zeitschrift fur Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie 2025; (229(5)):376-378 doi:10.1055/a-2563-1133.

    PMID: 40185151
  6. 6

    Pyloric Obstruction Secondary to a Gastric Duplication Cyst.

    Wu T, Liu Y, Bai L, Zhao C

    Indian journal of pediatrics 2021; (88(7)):732-733 doi:10.1007/s12098-020-03450-5.

    PMID: 32671636
  7. 7

    Gastric duplication cyst in an adult: a rare case presentation and literature review.

    Khaw SP, Tan ATS, Kueh MTW, et al.

    Journal of surgical case reports 2025; (2025(8)):rjaf651 doi:10.1093/jscr/rjaf651.

    PMID: 40874041
  8. 8

    Gastric Duplication in an Adult Female: A Challenging Diagnosis.

    Fouza A, Gkoutziotis I, Tsaramanidis S, Kamparoudis A

    Cureus 2022; (14(11)):e31199 doi:10.7759/cureus.31199.

    PMID: 36505143
  9. 9

    Hypergastrinemia and a duodenal ulcer caused by gastric duplication.

    Tanaka H, Masumoto K, Sasaki T, et al.

    Surgical case reports 2016; (2(1)):75 doi:10.1186/s40792-016-0203-0.

    PMID: 27464496
  10. 10

    Complicated Gastric Duplication Cyst in an Adult Patient: Uncommon presentation of an uncommon disease.

    Abdalkader M, Al Hassan S, Taha A, Nica I

    Journal of radiology case reports 2017; (11(8)):16-23 doi:10.3941/jrcr.v11i8.3124.

    PMID: 29299102
  11. 11

    Severe Infectious Complications after Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration of Suspected Mediastinal Duplication Cysts: A Case Series.

    Valli PV, Gubler C, Bauerfeind P

    Inflammatory intestinal diseases 2017; (1(4)):165-171 doi:10.1159/000464327.

    PMID: 29922673
  12. 12

    Asymptomatic perforated gastric duplication clogged by omentum, anorectal malformation and agenesis of the corpus callosum: A rare combination.

    Belhassen S, Ammar S, Zouaoui A, Abdellatif N

    African journal of paediatric surgery : AJPS 2019; (16(1)):46-48 doi:10.4103/ajps.AJPS_4_18.

    PMID: 32952143
  13. 13

    Traumatic perforation of a juxtapancreatic enteric duplication cyst: a paediatric emergency.

    Anand S, Jain V, Kandasamy D, Agarwala S

    BMJ case reports 2019; (12(5)) doi:10.1136/bcr-2018-227984.

    PMID: 31129635
  14. 14

    Asymptomatic adenocarcinoma arising from a gastric duplication cyst: A case report.

    Yamasaki A, Onishi H, Yamamoto H, et al.

    International journal of surgery case reports 2016; (25()):16-20.

    PMID: 27289170
  15. 15

    Successful laparoscopic resection for gastric duplication cyst: a case report.

    Izumi H, Yoshii H, Abe R, et al.

    Journal of medical case reports 2019; (13(1)):240 doi:10.1186/s13256-019-2129-1.

    PMID: 31319886
  16. 16

    Accessory pancreatic lobe in association with a gastric duplication cyst.

    Shabtaie SA, Infante JC, Danton G, et al.

    Journal of pediatric surgery 2017; doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2017.09.007.

    PMID: 28966008
  17. 17

    Retroperitoneal gastric duplication mimicking a prenatal adrenal cyst.

    Castillo-Fernández AL, Vázquez-Rueda F, Cañete MD, Caballero-Villarraso J

    Congenital anomalies 2018; (58(4)):141-142 doi:10.1111/cga.12244.

    PMID: 28815737
  18. 18

    Pancreatitis of ectopic pancreatic tissue: a rare cause of gastric outlet obstruction.

    Elwir S, Glessing B, Amin K, et al.

    Gastroenterology report 2017; (5(3)):237-240 doi:10.1093/gastro/gov037.

    PMID: 26224685
  19. 19

    Gastric Heterotopic Pancreas Presenting as Abdominal Pain with Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis in the Resected Specimen.

    Wawrzynski J, Leon L, Shah SA, et al.

    Case reports in gastrointestinal medicine 2019; (2019()):2021712 doi:10.1155/2019/2021712.

    PMID: 30956825

This page explains the symptoms and complications of gastric duplication cysts for educational purposes only. Always consult a gastroenterologist or surgeon if you or your child experience severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or signs of bleeding.

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