Retrospective analysis of 9 cases of appendiceal mucocele in 3,071 cases of appendicitis

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare disease. Due to the lack of specific clinical symptoms, and the high misdiagnosis rate before operation, in the present study, the clinical data were assessed to determine a potential basis for the diagnosis and treatment of appendiceal mucocele. The clinical data of 3,071 patients with appendicitis admitted between January 2014 and July 2021, including 9 patients with appendiceal mucoceles were retrospectively analyzed. The data were retrieved from the hospital records and included the patients' age, sex, leukocyte counts (measured in the peripheral venous blood sample), the surgical methods, the pathological results and the postoperative follow-up information. Among the 3,071 patients with appendicitis, 9 cases were appendiceal mucocele. These 9 were treated by laparoscopic surgery in 6 cases (2 laparoscopic appendectomy, 2 laparoscopic partial cecectomy plus appendectomy, and 2 laparoscopic right hemicolectomy) and laparotomy in 3 cases (partial cecectomy plus appendectomy). Pathological examination was performed on the surgically resected specimens of all patients. The results showed that 7 cases were appendiceal mucoceles, and 2 cases were low-grade appendiceal mucoceles. During the follow-up after surgery, one patient with exploratory laparotomy plus partial cecectomy and appendectomy was pathologically diagnosed with low-grade appendiceal myxoma. The patient developed peritoneal implants appeared 2 years later, and the remaining patients are still alive, without any postoperative complications or obvious signs of recurrence. Appendiceal mucocele is a disease that usually causes clinical manifestations of acute appendicitis. Ultrasound and CT scans can be used for preoperative diagnosis. The surgical treatment options for mucoceles are open or laparoscopic appendectomy, cecectomy, and right hemicolectomy. Although the incidence of appendiceal mucocele is low, special attention should be paid to surgery due to its predisposition to peritoneal implantation and metastasis. Laparoscopic appendectomy with partial cecectomy is not a difficult procedure and is not likely to cause abdominal implantation metastasis, thus it should be the preferred surgical method. When conditions permit, intraoperative rapid cryotherapy can quickly identify the occurrence of malignant tumors.