Secondary intestinal obstruction due to low-grade mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the appendix.

Appendiceal mucoceles are a group of lesions in which the appendiceal lumen becomes distended with mucus. They may be associated with an unusual form of gelatinous ascites termed pseudomyxoma peritonei. We report herein a 77-year-old male patient with appendiceal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and pseudomyxoma peritonei, whose initial symptoms were abdominal pain and distension and intestinal obstruction. He had a history of explorative laparotomy for an abdominal mass and ascites 14 months ago at another center. He was suffering from abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction on admission to the emergency service. We performed right colectomy and total resection of the mass which originated from the appendix. Pathologic examination of the specimen showed low-grade mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and pseudomyxoma peritonei. The postoperative period was uneventful.