Abdominal Drains Retrieved Laparoscopically 15 Years Post Laparotomy.

A retained intra-abdominal foreign body is a common occurrence that is frequently underreported due to its medicolegal implications. Sponges, gauzes, surgical instruments, abdominal drains, etc. have been reported in the literature. The most common presentation for a retained intra-abdominal foreign body is postoperative abdominal infections or bleeding, frequently seen in the immediate postoperative period. Most of these foreign bodies are removed by exploratory laparotomy owing to recent abdominal surgeries or presentation as complicated abdominal masses. Here, we report a case with retained intra-abdominal drains for 15 years with minimal symptoms presenting as an intermittent abdominal pain; the drains were removed using laparoscopic intervention.

Hernioscopy in Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia Spontaneously Reduced after General Anesthesia Induction.

Hernioscopy is essentially hernia sac laparoscopy. Hernia repair has evolved over the years with better outcomes; however, strangulated inguinal hernias are acute surgical emergencies which require emergent operative intervention. During anesthesia induction and/or after incision, hernia self-reduction is possible, with or without compromised bowel, back into the abdominal cavity. It is pivotal to examine the bowel to decide on further operative course. A simple alternative to unnecessary laparotomy or standard laparoscopy is hernioscopy, which is quite uncommon. We present a case of an acute symptomatic strangulated left-sided inguinal hernia which got self-reduced during anesthesia induction and was successfully repaired after hernioscopy was used to evaluate the incarcerated hernia content. We provide a brief review of literature about hernioscopy and an algorithm to guide surgeons in emergent cases.