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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
02:41
Acupoint Catgut Embedding for Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain Due to the Sequelae of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Published on: May 3, 2024
A retained surgical sponge presenting as chronic pelvic pain
Lucybeth Nieves1, Peter F Schnatz, Marine Sahakyan
1Department of ObGyn, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA.
Connecticut Medicine
|October 2, 2007
Summary
Gossypiboma, a retained surgical sponge, can cause chronic pelvic pain years after gynecologic surgery. Early detection and prevention through accurate counts and imaging are crucial for patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic Surgery
- Surgical Complications
- Medical Malpractice
Background:
- Gossypiboma, a retained surgical sponge, is an infrequent yet underestimated complication following gynecologic procedures.
- Postoperative symptoms may include acute or subacute presentations of pelvic pain.
Observation:
- A 39-year-old female presented with chronic pelvic pain, with prior surgeries 16 and 21 years earlier.
- Conservative management failed, necessitating a hysterectomy and possible salpingoophorectomy.
- A retained surgical sponge (gossypiboma) was discovered and removed during the operation.
Findings:
- The patient's chronic pelvic pain completely resolved after the removal of the gossypiboma.
- Gossypiboma can present years post-surgery with chronic pelvic pain as a primary symptom.
- Despite the delay, the patient experienced minimal complications beyond the initial discomfort.
Implications:
- Accurate surgical sponge and instrument counts are vital to prevent gossypiboma.
- Radiologic evaluation is recommended when count discrepancies arise.
- Advancements in surgical technologies are being developed to mitigate the risk of retained surgical items.
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