Intraluminal migration of gossypibioma

Surgical sponge retained in the abdominal cavity following surgery, is a serious but avoidable complication. Common symptoms and signs of transmural migration of gossypibioma may include abdominal pain, vomiting, and bleeding. Transmural migration of surgical swab is a very rare phenomenon.

We report a series of three such cases which presented to us with small bowel obstruction and laparotomy with extraction of gossypibioma was performed.

All three patients recovered well with no morbidity.

Gossypibioma is a surgical mishap which can be avoided if guidelines for operative theatre record keeping are seriously followed. CECT abdomen is very useful in its diagnosis. Exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy is mandatory. This series also discusses the approach to migratory surgical gossypibioma in terms of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention protocol.