[Intestinal occlusion secondary to a retained surgical item]. / Oclusión intestinal secundaria a oblito quirúrgico.

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. CLINICAL CASE: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.

[Eagle's Syndrome]. / Síndrome de Eagle.

Eagle's Syndrome is an entity that is rarely clinically and anatomopathologically identified, and is defined as the elongation of the styloid process and/or the calcification of the styloid ligament. It produces intense pain in the craniocervical region and limitation of cervical movements. It can be mistaken for temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The diagnosis of this entity can be done by physical examination with palpation of the styloid process in the tonsillar fossa, and radiological studies help confirm the diagnosis.