Medicolegal consequences of thoracic gossypiboma: A case report.
The term gossypiboma is used to describe a retained surgical sponge after operation. It is a rare but it is associated with severe medical and legal consequences. The diagnosis can be missed despite radiological investigations. We report a case of a 15-year-old female who presented with fever, cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis. She had a history of hydatid cyst operation 2 years ago. Post-discharge follow up occurred for two years on hospital where hydatid cyst surgery had been done. Radiological investigations were inconclusive in detecting the retained sponge despite radiopaque marker. So gossypiboma should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis in postoperative cases presenting as persistent respiratory symptoms after the operation.
Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Yakar
Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: drsibel2001@yahoo.com.
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Atacan
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Yakar
Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Ziyade
Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Gündoğmuş
D000293:Adolescent; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D004445:Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D013909:Thorax
Gossypiboma; Lung abscess; Missed sponge material; Thoracic surgery