Letter to the Editor: Gossypibomas and Bariatric Surgery, an Issue We Can’t Forget

Molina, Gabriel A; Baca, Jenny A.; Fuentes, Germanico; Jiménez, Galo Enrique; Ojeda, Rommel Hernan; Orejuela, Monica Elizabeth; Jiménez, Andres; Heredia, Andrea Estefanía

doi:10.1007/s11695-020-04634-w

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Surgery is the only treatment and should be performed as soon as possible to prevent pain, sepsis, fistulas and even death [ 1 , 11 ]. This event is one of the worst safety violations causing severe morbidity, mortality and medicolegal problems, and is simultaneously a preventable condition [ 12 ]. Therefore, every surgical team must have appropriate communication with each other, using radiopaque markers on their gauzes and lap sponges and acting with standardized policies to count them.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Chest gossypiboma after spinal surgery, not so easy to forget’

Endara

Dávalos

et al. 2023

Journal of Surgical Case Reports

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During any surgical procedure, complications may arise, some of which are fortuitous, whereas others, unfortunately, occur because of errors of the surgical team. Fortunately, most are minor and do not affect the patient’s recovery, but others can cause severe morbidity and even mortality. A retained cotton or gauze surgical sponge inadvertently left in the body during an operation is known as a gossypiboma. This dreadful oversight is a marked complication that can cause serious postoperative complications, a severe economic burden on the healthcare system, and many medicolegal implications. We report the case of a 30-year-old male, who suffered a spinal fracture which was repaired through an anterior fixation approach 12 years ago in a local state hospital without complications. Suddenly, he presented with chest pain and cough, and sought medical attention. An 8 × 5 × 8 cm low-density heterogeneous mass was discovered on his chest; after successful surgery, a gossypiboma formed by several gauzes without radiopaque markers was discovered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Chest gossypiboma after spinal surgery, not so easy to forget’

Endara

Dávalos

et al. 2023

Journal of Surgical Case Reports

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“…However, it carries a high risk of reoperation, readmission, prolonged hospital stay, sepsis, fistulas and death [ 3–5 ]. All this without considering the costs (>$150 000 on average) for the patient and the hospital, as well as the medico-legal consequences for the surgeon and his team [ 6 , 9 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gossypiboma discovered 24 years after prostate surgery, a forgotten but never forgiven complication

Molina

Fuentes²,

Jiménez³

et al. 2022

Journal of Surgical Case Reports

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Forgetting gauze or “a surgical drape” inside a patient after surgery is a rare medical error. It can lead to severe complications, high hospital costs and medico-legal implications. As a result, this complication is often not reported, mainly to avoid retaliation and because it can initiate extensive critical press coverage. This technical oversight may be just the tip of an iceberg concerning the reality of surgical errors; therefore, the entire surgical team must focus on prevention, continuing medical education and strict adherence to protocols and counting guidelines to minimize their incidence. We present the case of a 76-year-old patient with an acute abdomen; after an initial evaluation, a gossypiboma was discovered, which was forgotten 24 years after prostatectomy.

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Letter to the Editor: Gossypibomas and Bariatric Surgery, an Issue We Can’t Forget

Cited by 2 publications

References 9 publications

‘Chest gossypiboma after spinal surgery, not so easy to forget’

‘Chest gossypiboma after spinal surgery, not so easy to forget’

Gossypiboma discovered 24 years after prostate surgery, a forgotten but never forgiven complication

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