Medicolegal Consequences of Thoracic Gossypiboma; A Case Report

• Published in: Journal of forensic and legal medicine Vol. 42; pp. 65 - 67
• Main Authors: Yakar, A., M.D, Atacan, S.Ç., M.D, Yakar, F., M.D, Ziyade, N., M.D, Gündoğmuş, Ü.N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2016; Churchill Livingstone Inc., Medical Publishers
• Subjects: Adolescent; Cough - etiology; Dyspnea - etiology; Echinococcosis, Pulmonary - surgery; Female; Fever - etiology; Foreign Bodies - complications; Foreign Bodies - surgery; Forensic medicine; Gossypiboma; Hemoptysis - etiology; Humans; Lung abscess; Medical diagnosis; Missed sponge material; Pathology; Pneumonia - etiology; Recurrence; Surgery; Thoracic surgery; Thorax; lung abscess; missed sponge material; gossypiboma; thoracic surgery; Thoracic surgery; Gossypiboma; Missed sponge material; Lung abscess
• ISSN: 1752-928X; 1878-7487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2016.05.010

Abstract The term gossypiboma is used to describe a retained surgical sponge after operation. It is a rare but but it is associated with severe medical and legal consequences.The diagnosis can be missed despite radiological investigations.We report a case of a 15-year-old female who presented with fever, cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis. She had a history of hydatid cyst operation 2 years ago. Post-discharge follow up occurred for two years on hospital where hydatid cyst surgery had been done. Radiological investigations were inconclusive in detecting the retained sponge despite radiopaque marker. So gossypiboma should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis in postoperative cases presenting as persistant respiratory symptoms after the operation.