Abstract
Abstract Appendicular mucocele is an infrequent entity that constitutes a descriptive term to define an enlarged cecal appendix with accumulation of mucus in its interior, which can be due to both neoplastic and non-neoplastic causes. Patients are usually asymptomatic, becoming an incidental finding. However, in other cases the symptoms are highly variable (abdominal pain, palpable abdominal mass, digestive bleeding...) and differential diagnosis can become a challenge. In this way, imaging studies as ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play an important role in preoperative diagnosis, since they provide information that can be decisive when it comes to select the most appropriate surgical intervention modality. We report a case of a patient who presented an incidental mass in lower right quadrant that turned out to be an appendicular mucocele.
Highlights
It constitutes a rare entity found in 0.2%-0.3% of appendectomy specimens and in 8% of appendiceal tumors and they typically appear in middle-aged female patients (4:1) [2]
Mucocele in the appendix may be classified according to the histological characteristics in four different subtypes: simple or retention mucocele, hyperplastic mucocele, mucinous cystadenoma and mucinous cystadenocarcinoma [3]
Most patients are asymptomatic and appendicular mucocele appears as an incidental finding during surgical act, endoscope or imaging studies performed for other reasons [2]
Summary
Mucocele of the appendix is a rare entity that is found in less than 1% of appendectomies. This pathology appears more frequently in middle-aged patients and its incidence is higher in females (4:1). The majority of patients are asymptomatic, but in other cases diverse clinical manifestations such as abdominal pain, a palpable mass or gastrointestinal bleeding can be present. This entity has to be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions located in the right iliac fossa. It is important to remember the importance of the various imaging studies available in order to establish both preoperative diagnosis and most appropriate type of surgical intervention
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