Transmigration of a retained surgical sponge: a case report

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Assessment of Lymphocyte Migration in an Ex Vivo Transmigration System
10:25

Assessment of Lymphocyte Migration in an Ex Vivo Transmigration System

Published on: September 20, 2019

7.4K

Tushar Patial1, Namit Rathore2, Angesh Thakur3

  • 1The Clinic, Sanjauli, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171006 India.

Patient Safety in Surgery
|August 22, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A retained surgical sponge migrated internally, causing abdominal pain and obstruction in a patient years after laparoscopic sterilization. This rare case highlights the persistent risk of retained surgical items despite safety measures.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical complications
  • Gastrointestinal surgery
  • Patient safety

Background:

  • Retained surgical sponges are a known, albeit infrequent, complication in surgery.
  • Despite advancements in patient safety protocols, surgical item retention remains a concern in healthcare.

Observation:

  • A 30-year-old female presented with chronic abdominal pain and acute vomiting/obstipation.
  • The patient had a history of laparoscopic sterilization 7 years prior and a subsequent re-canalization procedure.
  • Exploratory laparotomy revealed an intra-luminal surgical sponge in the distal small bowel.

Findings:

  • The retained surgical sponge had transmogrified, migrating within the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Surgical removal of the intra-luminal sponge led to complete patient recovery.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the potential for retained surgical sponges to cause delayed and unusual complications, such as internal migration.
  • Healthcare professionals must maintain vigilance for retained surgical items, recognizing their potential for transmigration and varied clinical presentations.
  • Awareness of such rare phenomena is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective patient management in surgical settings.
Keywords:
Case reportGossypibomaRetained surgical itemsRetained surgical spongeTextiloma

More Related Videos

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation06:23

The Polyvinyl Alcohol Sponge Model Implantation

Published on: April 18, 2012

20.3K
Quantification of Monocyte Transmigration and Foam Cell Formation from Individuals with Chronic Inflammatory Conditions09:41

Quantification of Monocyte Transmigration and Foam Cell Formation from Individuals with Chronic Inflammatory Conditions

Published on: October 17, 2017

13.9K

Related Concept Videos

Data Reporting and Recording01:24

Data Reporting and Recording

Reporting and recording are crucial in data documentation. The timely, thorough, and accurate documentation of facts is essential when recording patient data. Failure to record findings during an assessment or interpretation of a problem will result in loss of information and make the patient document unreliable. The reader is left with general impressions if the information is not specific. A recording is documenting data of the individual's health information in a traceable, secure, and...
5.5K
Types of Reports I: Hands-off Report01:25

Types of Reports I: Hands-off Report

A hand-off report, also known as a change-of-shift report, is a crucial nursing process that ensures the smooth transition of patient care responsibilities between nursing staff.
Following are the key components and categories of hand-off reports:
Purpose and Process:
1.5K
Types of Reports II: Incident or Occurrence Report01:21

Types of Reports II: Incident or Occurrence Report

An Incident or Occurrence Report in a healthcare setting is a crucial document used to record any unexpected occurrence that may or may not have affected a patient, employee, or visitor. Such reports are critical to improving patient safety and include all details leading up to and including the event.
Purposes:
In the healthcare industry, reports play a crucial role in documenting incidents within an agency. The primary objective of these reports is to ensure patient safety, uphold the...
1.3K
Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports01:26

Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports

Telephone and Verbal Reports in healthcare settings are two communication methods for conveying therapeutic instructions from healthcare providers to nurses or other healthcare staff.
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
1.0K
Reporter Genes02:11

Reporter Genes

Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
13.4K
Introduction to Documentation and Reporting01:20

Introduction to Documentation and Reporting

Documentation is the systematic process of formally recording, maintaining, and communicating information.
Nursing documentation records essential information and details regarding a patient's care and treatment in written or electronic form. It is a critical aspect of nursing practice that involves documenting assessments, interventions, outcomes, and other relevant details about a patient's health status.
Documentation maps the patient's health journey by creating a comprehensive...
3.1K