title: Gossypiboma mimicking a retroperitoneal tumor.
abstract: "Gossypiboma" denotes a mass of cotton that is retained in the body after surgery. An image is presented of a retroperitoneal mass in a lady who had a right nephrectomy 8 years earlier for a nonfunctioning kidney. Clinical examination and plain abdominal radiography were not contributory. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed a well-defined, heterogeneous, spherical, soft-tissue mass, 13 × 9 × 9 cm in size, in the retroperitoneum, with a dense enhanced wall, abutting the right psoas and posterior abdominal wall. Exploration revealed an abdominal sponge surrounded by foreign body granuloma adherent to surrounding structures. Gossypiboma can mimic a tumor and is a diagnostic challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology Unit 1, Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, Vellore Town, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: arunjpg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacob Philip George
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology Unit 2, Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, Vellore Town, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv Paul
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Mukha
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology Unit 2, Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, Vellore Town, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Nitin S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Kekre
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D015503:Surgical Sponges