Mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix misdiagnosed as cystic hydatid disease of the liver: a case report

IntroductionPrimary neoplastic lesions presenting with a mucocele of the appendix are very rare and can be divided into benign variants of mucinous adenomas or cystadenomas, mucinous tumours of uncertain malignant potential or mucinous cystadenocarcinomas. Most of these tumourous mucoceles are asymptomatic and are found incidentally.

The major complication of neoplastic mucinous appendiceal tumours is the development of a pseudomyxoma peritonei due to spreading of mucin-producing cells within the abdominal cavity.Case presentationA 44-year-old man presented with a history of non-specific symptoms of right upper abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography scan identified a cystic mass consistent with the morphological characteristics of an echinococcal hydatid cyst.

After completing systemic albendazole therapy, an explorative laparotomy revealed a cystic tumour of the appendix. Ileocaecal resection was performed and pathology reports confirmed the diagnosis of a mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix.

The postoperative course was uneventful.

Conclusion: Here we present the case of a man with a mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix mimicking cystic hydatid disease. We discuss the importance of re-evaluation and differential diagnostic reflections in cases of appendiceal mucocele.

Author: Andreas Krieg, Jan Schulte am Esch, Ludger W Poll, Stefan Braunstein and Wolfram T Knoefel
Credits/Source: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2008, 2:218

Published on: 2008-06-25

Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.

Comments Page 0 of 0

There are currently 0 comments to display.

+ Add New Comment

Custom Search