title: Intrathoracic gossypiboma causing intractable cough.
abstract: A 45-year old woman presented with a 5-month history of coughing, eight months after surgery for post-tubercular fibrosis with bronchiectasis. Upon computerized tomography (CT) scanning, a sponge-like structure was seen in the pneumonectomy cavity near the stump of the right main bronchus. Bronchoscopic examination revealed a whitish mass blocking the right main bronchial stump which, upon attempted retrieval, yielded long threads of cotton fibres from a retained surgical gauze. The gossypiboma was removed surgically and the patient became symptom-free. Although rare after thoracic surgery, gossypibomas need to be considered in symptoms following surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal and Pulmonary Medicine, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, India. parvaizk@gmail.com
authors.forename: Parvaiz A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Koul
authors.forename: Showkat A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mufti
authors.forename: Umar Hafiz
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Rafi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012086:Reoperation; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome