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A misplaced surgical towel - a rare cause of fever of unknown origin

Sofia C Lourenco1, António Baptista, Helena Pacheco

  • 1Curry Cabral Hospital, Portugal. sofilourenco@iol.pt

European Journal of Internal Medicine
|June 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Gossypiboma, or retained surgical towels, are rare surgical complications. This case highlights a delayed diagnosis of gossypiboma presenting as constitutional symptoms years after abdominal surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Case Reports
  • Surgical Complications
  • Abdominal Surgery

Background:

  • Retained surgical items, known as gossypiboma, are infrequent yet serious post-operative complications.
  • These can lead to significant patient morbidity and mortality if not promptly identified.

Observation:

  • A patient presented with prolonged constitutional symptoms including fever and weight loss.
  • These symptoms emerged three and a half years after undergoing abdominal surgery.

Findings:

  • Extensive diagnostic workup was required to identify the cause of the patient's symptoms.
  • A gossypiboma was ultimately diagnosed and surgically removed.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering gossypiboma in the differential diagnosis of unexplained symptoms long after surgery.
  • Timely diagnosis and intervention are crucial for successful patient outcomes in gossypiboma cases.

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