Case report of Brunner’s gland hyperplasia: A rare “mimic” of malignant pathology

Highlights

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  BGH is a rare, benign condition to consider in a patient with epigastric pain, dyspepsia, weight loss and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

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  The diagnosis involves multiple modalities including CT, MRI, endoscopic ultrasound and biopsies.

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  It is important to determine the correct diagnosis to reduce the risk of overtreating a benign condition.

Abstract

Introduction

Brunner’s gland hyperplasia is a rare, benign lesion of the duodenum. The symptomology can range from asymptomatic (as an incidental finding on endoscopy) to gastrointestinal obstruction or haemorrhage.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 60-year-old man presenting with post-prandial vomiting and weight loss. Inpatient evaluation led to the likely diagnosis of a duodenal malignancy for which the patient underwent a laparotomy and proximal duodenectomy.

Clinical discussion

Brunner’s gland hyperplasia is a rare, benign condition that can be overtreated due to the difficulty in obtaining an accurate pre-operative diagnosis. The literature has been reviewed to discuss the approach to diagnosis.

Conclusion

This case highlights the potential for Brunner’s gland hyperplasia mimicking a malignancy.