Presentation
Lower abdominal pain for about one year. History of myomectomy.
Patient Data
Dilated base of appendix with a spherical contour and thinned walls. It is distended by fluid and reaches over 3 cm in diameter. The appendix shows a maximal caliber of 1.2 cm. No intraluminal air to suggest any superadded infection. No appendiceal mural thickening or periappendiceal fat stranding. No ileocolic lymphadenopathy or localized collections.
Following the MRI contrast study, a CT was performed for correlation which confirmed the finding and excluded wall calcification.
Case Discussion
Excess mucin accumulation within the appendix can be benign or neoplastic in origin. The relative smooth mural wall with uniform thickness favors a benign etiology. Nevertheless excision is recommended to relieve the patient of symptoms and to rule out any mucinous neoplasm. Screening of rest of the abdomen did not reveal any other similar peritoneal or visceral deposits.