Gossypiboma in Thigh- A Case Report

The word Gossypiboma has been used for a retained surgical sponge/swab and is derived from gossypium(latin:cotton) and boma(Swahili-place of concealment). Other synonyms for this entity are textiloma, retained textile foreign body(RTFB)"/muslinoma. It is rare in muskulo-skeletal surgery.

An eighteen year old boy was operated upon for failed plating of right femur. He had a globular swelling in mid thigh. There were no discharging sinuses, no signs/symptoms of infection. While operating on him to remove the failed implant and fix the fracture, while following standard procedures, we found a full size sponge embedded in the fracture site.

In all cases presenting with an incidental mass with/without sinus, Gossypiboma be kept in the differential diagnosis. Awareness of the condition is a must to diagnose such a rare condition. While operating one should make sure that no sponge is left inside-which can have serious medicolegal consequences.