Laparoscopic appendectomy for appendiceal mucocele in an 83 years old woman

Abstract

Mucocele of the appendix is an uncommon but potentially dangerous pathological entity that presents in a variety of ways. Therefore, optimal surgical therapy is controversial; while some authors adopt a simple appendectomy, others recommend extensive resection, such as right hemicolectomy. We report the case of an 83 years old woman who presented with cystic neoformation in the right iliac fossa that was preoperatively considered an appendiceal mass. We electively performed a laparoscopic resection that histological examination defined as a mucinous cystadenoma. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up period of 9 mo.

Keywords: Appendiceal tumor; Laparoscopy; Mucocele; Minimal invasive surgery

Core tip: This report calls the clinician’s attention to the fact that patients presenting with chronic lower right quadrant pain may be diagnosed with appendiceal tumors, particularly elderly patients, as was the case in our report. Since the elderly patient population usually has co-morbid conditions, minimal invasive procedures should be considered after preoperative diagnostic procedures to confirm the absence of advanced tumors.