Mucocele of the Appendix: Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare disease. Sometimes it is discovered accidentally and sometimes it resembles acute appendicitis. Correct diagnosis before surgery is very important for the selection of adequate surgical treatment to avoid intraoperative and postoperative complications. Ultrasonography, and particularly computed tomography, should be used extensively for this purpose. If mucocele is treated incorrectly pseudomyxoma peritonei, which is characterized by malignant process, may develop. We present a case of a 54-year-old man who was admitted to the emergency department with the signs of acute appendicitis. Open surgery was performed. At the time of surgery, a cystic mass of the appendix with dimensions 7 3 4 33 cm, with inflamed walls, but without perforation was discovered in the right iliac fossa. No discharge was found in the peritoneal cavity. Diagnosis of mucocele was suspected. Only appendectomy was performed because no pathologic process was found in the base of the appendix and lymph nodes were not increased in size. Hystopathologic diagnosis was mucinous cystadenoma. After 2 years, the patient is feeling well.

Routine Histopathologic Examination of Appendectomy Specimens: Retrospective Analysis of 1255 Patients

“…Finally, ischemia develops in the appendiceal wall, which weakens the epithelial integrity and increases the organ's risk of bacterial invasion. Although lymphoid hyperplasia and fecaliths are the most common causative factors of luminal obstruction, other less frequent factors have been associated with the condition, including enterobiasis, 1 endometriosis, 1,16,21 tuberculosis, 1 amebiasis, 1 actinomycosis, 1 adenovirus, 4 granulomatous diseases, 1,7,15,19 eosinophilic granuloma, 8 neurogenic appendicopathy, 11,12 foreign body melanosis, 4 neurofibroma, 4 diverticulitis, 1,9,20 and taeniasis, 1,17,21 as well as appendiceal malignancies, such as carcinoid tumor, 1,13,14 gastrointestinal stromal tumor, 1 hyperplastic polyp, 1 tubular adenoma, 1 villous adenoma, 1 mucocele, 10 mucinous cystadenoma, 1 adenocarcinoma, 1 mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, 1 lymphoma, 1 and leukemia. 1 This study was designed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of unusual pathologic findings encountered in appendectomy specimens of patients who had undergone surgery to treat an initial diagnosis of acute appendicitis.…”

Mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix presenting as an umbilical hernia: A case report

“…Among these four types, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma has the least developed etiology, and the clinical progression of the disease has not yet been determined. The clinical symptoms for mucinous cystadenocarcinoma may include right lower abdominal pain, palpable abdominal masses, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding and signs of intestinal intussusception (13); however, in the present case, the disease presented as an umbilical hernia. In the present study, ultrasonography did not provide useful information, while the CT scan indicated peritoneal pseudomyxoma.…”

Appendix Mucocele Treatment with Partial Resection of the Cecum

“…Although mucocele of the appendix is usually asymptomatic, symptomatically, it is most frequently observed as pain in the right lower quadrant. Apart from this, signs and symptoms such as palpable abdominal mass, nausea-vomiting, weight loss, and gastrointestinal bleeding can be encountered (9). In our case, there was no evidence of widespread abdominal pain and loss of appetite.…”