title: [Intestinal occlusion secondary to a retained surgical item].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retained surgical items after a surgical procedure is a real, existing, and preventable problem that affects the safety of the surgical patient. Its incidence is not exactly known due to under-reporting of occurrence, due to the potential risk of lawsuits.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 31 year-old women that had an elective caesarean, apparently without complications. In the immediate post-operative period, clinical features appeared that were compatible with intestinal obstruction, such as inability to channel gas, bloating, abdominal pain and vigorous peristalsis. The diagnosis is made by the recent history of abdominal-pelvic surgery and the finding of a foreign body on a simple x-ray of the abdomen. The patient was operated upon, with a satisfactory outcome, and was discharged 5 days later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A retained surgical instrument is an under-reported event that represents a medical-legal problem, leading to various complications, including death if it is not diagnosed and treated early. It is important to know the risk factors and adopt a culture of prevention through perioperative monitoring of equipment and instruments used during the surgical act.
authors.affiliation: Coordinación de Enseñanza e Investigación, Clínica Hospital San Cristóbal de las Casas, Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado, Chiapas, México. Electronic address: umqbalcazar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luis Ernesto
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Balcázar-Rincón
authors.affiliation: Coordinación de Ginecoobstetricia, Hospital General Dr. Belisario Domínguez, Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado, Chiapas, México.
authors.forename: Enrique Alejandro
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gordillo Gómez
authors.affiliation: Coordinación de Enseñanza, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 13, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Chiapas, México.
authors.forename: Yunis Lourdes
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Alcántara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002585:Cesarean Section; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy; D010949:Plasma; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015503:Surgical Sponges / Q000009:adverse effects
keywords: Cuerpo extraño; Foreign body; Gossypiboma; Oblito; Retained foreign object; Textiloma