title: Laparoscopic removal of a chronically retained gauze.
abstract: This case report presents a 49-year-old man with a history of referred right thoracic pain due to a gauze pad, left in the abdomen 22 years earlier following a surgical intervention for gastric perforation. This subphrenic encapsulated aseptic granuloma surrounding a gauze has been removed laparoscopically. The gauze had decomposed into a semi-liquid material consisting of hundreds of small particles and could not be removed in one piece; a basket was used. As one does not know whether the gauze and its surrounding tissue has infected or become malignant, it might be better to remove it as a whole with its capsule.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, AZ Groeninge, Campus St. Niklaas, Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Devriendt
mesh_terms: D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects; D015503:Surgical Sponges / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed