[Gossypiboma in neurosurgery. Case report and literature review]

The terms gossypiboma, textiloma or retained foreign objects are medical terms used to describe textile elements that are left intentionally or accidentally in the operative site and generate a reaction to foreign objects. It can be avoided when preventive measures are taken during surgery. Gossypibomas are rare in surgery of the central nervous system. They are more frequent in thoracic and abdominal surgeries. Depending on their location they can present with complications and symptoms or they may remain undetected for many years. In this article we want to present a case of a spinal asymptomatic gossypiboma in a patient who was operated on 15 years ago for a lumbar disectomy. We will review the literature on the implications of these lesions on the neurosurgical field.