Appendiceal mucocele mimicking urolithiasis

Abstract

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare clinical condition that causes distension of the appendix lumen with mucus. It is only found in 0.1-0.3% of all appendectomy specimens. Twenty-five per cent of these cases are asymptomatic and incidentally discovered either during surgery or upon radiological examination. The treatment of appendiceal mucocele is surgical, and while appendectomy is usually sufficient, in some cases right hemicolectomy may appear as a treatment option. Mucoceles are histologically subdivided into four types: retention cysts, mucosal hyperplasia, cystadenomas and cystadenocarcinomas. Herein, we present a case of appendiceal mucocele in a 62 year old female patient with a complaint of colicky right flank pain and a single occurrence of macroscopic haematuria, clinically mimicking urolithiasis. The patient's abdominal ultrasonography and abdominal CT scan showed a mass consistent with mucocele on the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Colonoscopy gave the impression of mass lesion pressure from the outside. The patient was operated on electively. Histopathological diagnosis was reported mucinous cystadenoma. Appendiceal mucocele or mucinous cystadenomas are usually seen in patients undergoing surgery for a diagnosis of appendicitis but, as in our case, these lesions may rarely occur with a clinical picture that mimics urological disease.

Written informed consent was obtained from patients who participated in this case.

Externally peer-reviewed.

Concept - İ.S.; Design - İ.S.; Data Collection and/or Processing - Ö.D., E.T.Ö., Ş.Y.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - A.Z.B., E.Y.; Writer - Ö.D.

No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.