Diagnostic Features of Mucocele of the Appendix

Mucocele of the appendix was recognized by Rokitansky¹ in 1842, and was described by Virchow in 1863.² Feré applied the name "mucocele" in 1877.³ In 1916 Dodge⁴ found only 142 cases of mucocele reported in the literature, and in 1928 Weaver⁵ added 26 cases, including 2 of his own. Mucocele of the appendix has remained a relatively infrequent disease, occurring in from 0.2%⁶ to 1.5%⁷ of autopsies. Jirka and Scuderi⁸ found an incidence of 0.23% of mucoceles in appendectomies, as compared to an incidence of only 0.043% in an almost equal number of autopsy specimens, indicating that the symptoms are severe enough to lead to operation in these patients. Latimer⁹ believed that the symptoms of mucocele are frequently severe enough to cause removal of the appendix, although a preoperative diagnosis was a rarity. He credited Vorhaus¹⁰ and Maydl¹¹ with