Incidental Diagnosis of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei: A Case Report

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare clinical condition characterized by disseminating gelatinous ascites within the peritoneal cavity with mucinous implants on peritoneal surfaces. We present the case of a patient incidentally diagnosed after laparoscopy: definitive diagnosis after the histological examination was PMP. A 37-year-old female patient with a medical history of infertility and mild pelvic pain was found to have several collections in the pelvis and an amount of free fluid into the Douglas pouch at ultrasound examination. The patient underwent laparoscopic surgical exploration. Peritoneal biopsies and appendectomy were performed. Histological examination was about a low-grade appendiceal mucinous tumor limited to the mucosa without submucosal infiltration with perforation of the wall and deposit of periappendicular acellular mucin. The patient was discharged in good health and referred to an oncological peritoneal center where cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) were performed. In conclusion, PMP is an uncommon disease within the abdomen, characterized by a mucinous tumor that produces progressive mucinous ascites. It is characterized by various non-specific symptoms and signs and difficult imaging diagnoses. Histological diagnosis is a determinant to establish the therapy that can differ significantly, depending on the stage of the disease.