Colonic mucosa may become sequestered during a surgery on the colon. This mucosa can secrete mucus which will form a mucocele if it cannot drain. A mucocele can easily be clinically mistinterpreted if the patient has a history of colon cancer.
Clinical features:
(1) A benign mucocele develops at or adjacent to a surgical closure involving colon. This includes the abdominal wall following colostomy closure.
(2) The mucocele can range in size, from small to very large.
(3) The serum CEA may be elevated but reverts on resection of the mucocele.
(4) The mucocele may be positive on PET scan.
Exclusions:
(1) mucocele of the appendix with pseudomyxoma peritonei
(2) recurrent or primary colon adenocarcinoma
(3) echinococcosis
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