Foreign body cases in obstetrics and gynecology practice

Abstract

The article presents cases that took place in obstetrics and gynecology practice, the detection of a foreign body after surgical operations, childbirth through the natural birth canal.Patient safety is one of the most pressing issues in healthcare. Promoting safety requires that all those involved in health care recognize that the potential for error exists and that teamwork and communication are essential to preventing errors.Retention of surgical objects such as a gauze pad, instrument, or needle after surgery or an invasive procedure is a rare but potentially serious phenomenon associated with significant morbidity and mortality.Gauze swabs and napkins are the most common finds, while surgical instruments and needles are rare.We will present cases of foreign bodies in the practice of obstetrician-gynecologists.In the first case, the foreign body was left in the anterior abdominal wall. Two cases of napkins being left in the abdominal cavity after gynecological and surgical operations. In the fourth case, a needle was left in the cervix after delivery through the natural birth canal and suturing of soft tissue tears in the birth canal. Moreover, the needle was not detected either after childbirth, or outside of pregnancy, or during pregnancy, but was detected during examination of the cervix in mirrors in the early postoperative period.The problem of finding a foreign body after surgery remains unsolved. According to statistics, one patient per year in each hospital suffers from a forgotten foreign body. A foreign body left behind can give rise to a lawsuit for damages against the surgeon and medical staff.Pre- and post-operative object counting is the most common foreign body screening method used in the world.Careful surgical technique should be routinely followed, which includes counting sponges, tampons, napkins, and instruments aimed at preventing postoperative foreign material in body cavities. A patient with significant gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of surgery should have a high index of suspicion for postoperative foreign body retention. Perioperative counting of equipment and materials is the most common method of foreign body screening.