Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of an appendiceal mucocele: A case report

BACKGROUND: Appendiceal mucocele is a rare disease that causes obstructive dilatation of the appendix due to the intraluminal accumulation of mucin. We report a case of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of an appendiceal mucocele. CASE SUMMARY: A 47-year-old man presented with a protrusion around the orifice of the appendix discovered by colonoscopy incidentally. He was admitted to our hospital for a routine checkup without any symptoms. Abdominal computed tomography showed a cystic mass approximately 3 cm in diameter with fat stranding. The preoperative diagnosis was non-neoplastic appendiceal mucocele, and endoscopic treatment was performed. The endoscopic findings and pathological results supported our preoperative diagnosis. The endoscopic treatment of appendiceal mucocele was feasible and effective, which was confirmed by repeated endoscopy and post-operative computed tomography after 7 mo. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic therapy provides a new method for the treatment of appendiceal mucocele.