Giant colonic mucocele after diversion colostomy for ulcerative colitis.

We report an unusual complication occurring after diversion transverse loop colostomy in a patient with long-standing ulcerative colitis. The formation of a giant colonic mucocele resulted from distal stomal and rectal stenosis, with subsequent accumulation of mucus in the obstructed segment over many years. The pathophysiologic features of this case, which are similar to mucocele of the appendix, are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of a giant colonic mucocele after diversion colostomy.