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Giant gossypiboma presenting as a pelvic mass
Hakki Celik1, Isil Basara Akin1, Canan Altay1
1Department of Radiology, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Radiology Case Reports
|September 6, 2021
Summary
Gossypiboma, a surgical sponge remnant, can be a rare, asymptomatic mass. This case highlights a giant gossypiboma mimicking a tumor, emphasizing its potential as a life-threatening surgical complication.
Area of Science:
- Medical Case Report
- Surgical Complications
- Radiology
Background:
- Gossypiboma is a retained foreign object post-surgery, often asymptomatic and difficult to diagnose.
- It can be misdiagnosed, leading to unnecessary procedures.
- It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue masses in patients with surgical history.
Observation:
- A 36-year-old female presented with severe abdominal pain and distension.
- Imaging revealed a large intra-abdominal mass.
- The mass was identified as a giant gossypiboma, a retained surgical sponge from a prior ectopic pregnancy operation.
Findings:
- The gossypiboma was unusually large and lacked typical imaging features like calcification or trapped gas.
- Diagnosis was challenging due to the absence of classic gossypiboma indicators.
- This case underscores the diagnostic difficulty of unusual gossypibomas.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering gossypiboma in patients with prior surgery presenting with abdominal masses.
- Emphasizes the need for meticulous surgical counts and awareness of potential retained foreign bodies.
- Underscores the potential for gossypiboma to be a life-threatening surgical complication if not diagnosed promptly.
