Gossypiboma mimicking as dermoid cyst of ovary: a case report

Lower abdominal gossypiboma mimics ovarian teratoma: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Gossypiboma is a serious and potentially dangerous medico-legal problem.

Case presentation

We present a case of lower abdominal gossypiboma that presented as an abdominal cystic mass mimicking ovarian teratoma. The mass and the adhesive intestine loop were en blocly resected. The cut section confirmed gossypiboma diagnosis.

Conclusions

The present experience and related literature results indicate that gossypiboma should always be kept in mind for the differential diagnosis of cystic soft-tissue mass detected in patients with a prior operation history despite its rarity and diagnosis difficulty. Once detected or suspected, appropriate surgical intervention should be performed promptly. Most importantly, preventing is much more crucial than curing in order to avoid this highly undesired potential complication.

A Case Series on Gossypiboma - Varied Clinical Presentations and Their Management

Retained surgical sponges in the peritoneal cavities are an infrequent operative/surgical complication and an error which is avoidable. The unfortunate situation of forgotten or missed foreign bodies after any surgical procedure may lead to medico legal problems. Though gossypiboma can be found at any operative site but intraperitoneal cavity is the most frequent site reported in literature. Over a period of three years, June 2009-2012, we conducted retrospective analysis of case summaries of eight patients who underwent re-laparotomy for retained surgical sponge at our institute. Pre operative diagnosis was made in 7out of 8 patients, 5 of whom underwent re-laparotomy and one had sponge removed through the caesarean incision, while in another it was removed per-vaginum through the open vault (post hysterectomy). In one patient, gossypiboma was an incidental finding on laparotomy done for adnexal mass. There was no mortality in any of the cases.