Retained textile foreign body: A rare cause of acute abdomen

Abstract

A retained textile foreign body in the abdominal cavity following surgery (gossypiboma, textiloma) is an iatrogenic complication that has medicolegal repercussions. This report presents a female patient who was seen in the emergency room with a history of hysterectomy, 8 years prior, due to severe haemorrhage associated with placenta accreta. She complained of moderate abdominal pain, which progressed over the previous 8 days. After physical examination and diagnostic imaging, an appendicular plastron complicated by abscess was diagnosed. During surgery, a mobile, omentum-wrapped mass was observed and excised. Extracorporeal inspection revealed the mass to be partially decomposed dressing gauze saturated with malodorous liquid. The patient recovered well and was discharged with no complications. 

Keywords: retained textile foreign body; gossypiboma; acute abdomen