Porcelain appendix: a rare mimicker of the acute abdomen.

Abstract

An appendiceal mucocele is a rare clinical entity often mimicking that of acute appendicitis in a majority of cases leading to incidental intraoperative findings. Nevertheless, appropriate diagnosis is vital prior to surgery to prevent complications such as pseudomyxoma peritonei. This report details a case of a man in his 70s, who was admitted to the emergency department with right iliac fossa pain with imaging showing wall thickening of the caecum and the ascending colon. During surgery, a calcified appendix raised the suspicion of a neoplastic process leading to a right hemicolectomy. The histology revealed a low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm.