title: A new complication of retained surgical gauze: development of malignant fibrous histiocytoma--report of a case with a literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary visceral malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a rare disease, and few cases have been reported in the English literature. However, retained foreign bodies in the abdomen after surgical procedures are important causes of intra-abdominal infections. For legal and ethical reasons, there are few publications in the literature. In this article, we describe for the first time a case of malign abdominal fibrous histiocytoma associated with a surgical sponge forgotten in the abdominal cavity a long time ago.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 64-year-old male presented to our surgical department with cachexia, abdominal pain, distention and pyrexia of unknown origin. He had a medical history of abdominal surgery for peptic ulcer perforation 32 years ago. Clinical examination revealed fever with a distended and painful abdominal wall. Radiological imaging of the abdomen showed multiple heterogeneous masses in one large cystic cavityalmost completely filling the abdomen. The patient underwent a laparotomy, and interestingly, opening the cyst revealed retained surgical gauze (RSG). The origin of the tumor was the visceral peritoneum, and it was excised totally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary intra-abdominal MFH can present as a complication of long-lasting RSG. Therefore, clinicians must remember this while establishing the differential diagnosis for patients with a history of previous abdominal surgery and presenting with symptoms associated with both the tumor and systemic inflammatory response.
authors: Department of General Surgery, Medical Park Gaziantep Hospital, Mucahitler mah, 52063 sk, No:2 Sehitkamil, Gaziantep, 27090, Turkey. meplan69@hotmail.com
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Kaplan
authors: Halil Ibrahim
authors: HI
authors: Iyiköşker
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D015503:Surgical Sponges / Q000009:adverse effects*