[Systemic presentation of retained foreign body in the peritoneal cavity [gossypiboma]]

One of the infrequent complications of surgical operations is retained foreign body in body cavities which lead to morbidity and mortality for patients and also medico-legal problems for surgeons. Gossypiboma is an uncommon surgical complication, which is defined as a mass or cystic lesion due to retained surgical sponge in the abdominal cavity. Retained foreign body causes abscess, fistula, mass, obstruction after surgical operations and is diagnosed by x ray evaluation. In all patients, it is presented with pain, palpable mass. The infected post operation retained foreign bodies should be considered in differential diagnosis. In this study, we reported a patient with systemic presentation of retained two foreign bodies [surgical sponge] in abdominal cavity. The patient is a 32 years old female, which after cesarean section in 2008 developed abdominal pain, anorexia, and weight loss. The patient was referred to a specialist, and para-clinical checkup was done on her. In sonography and CT-scan, two cystic lesions with calcified wall were reported in the left and right sides of the abdomen. Then, the patient was referred to a surgeon with the diagnosis of hydatid cyst. During operation, cystic lesion with adhesion to viscera in the right side of the abdomen and a mass lesion in the descending colon in the left side were seen.The pathology report showed a surgical sponge in the right cystic lesion and surgical towel in the descending colon. Retained foreign bodies should be considered in differential diagnosis of any post operative patients who are presented with pain, infection, or palpable mass