Surgical treatment of mucocele of the appendix: a systematic review and case report

INTRODUCTION: Appendicular mucocele is a rare well-described clinico-pathological occurrence. It denotes an obstructive dilatation of the appendicular lumen by mucinous secretions. CASE REPORT: A 60-year-old patient presented with right lower abdominal pain and nausea for 2 years. Abdominal CT scan suggested a diagnosis of a appendicular mucocele. Following informed consent, surgical exploration revealed a cystic mass arising from the body of the appendix with inflamed walls with no evidence of perforation. Simple appendectomy was performed as the caecum and the mesenteric nodes were free of pathological involvement. The final diagnosis of mucinous cystadenoma was confirmed by histopathology. Postoperative course was uneventful. The patient was in good health during a four years regular follow-up. DISCUSSION: Appendicular mucocele is a rare disease with vague symptoms. Abdominal imaging is an important diagnostic tool, but histopathology is the standard for definitive diagnosis. Surgery for benign appendicular mucoceles has an excellent long-term prognosis.