A Surgical Novelty for Preventing Gossypiboma

Background Gossypiboma, the term used for a retained surgical sponge during surgery, is deemed to be an act of negligence. Though considered to be a rare event, the exact occurrence goes under the carpet due to fear of embarrassment, loss of reputation to the treating personnel, and also the medicolegal consequences. Verifying the surgical sponges used during surgery, although it may appear straightforward, might be a daunting task, especially during prolonged and complicated surgeries. A simpler and effective technique to handle surgical sponges has been put forward in this study aimed at reducing the risk of gossypiboma and ensuring intraoperative safety. Methodology A multicentric study was conducted from three different hospitals over a period of three years, from 2021 to 2024. A total of 398 patients who underwent laparotomy surgeries of both emergency and elective types were enrolled in the study. A novel technique of handling the surgical sponge was put into use. The ease and practicality of using such a modified technique was surveyed among the surgical crew members (n=33) post-operatively using a structured questionnaire. Results and conclusion No case of gossypiboma was reported during the study. The surgical crew members have found this technique easy and handy to implement, thereby reducing their physical and mental strain. This is evident from the survey results that had a highly significant p-value emphasising the usefulness of this technique. While several newer techniques have been proposed to prevent gossypiboma, this new cost-effective and hassle-free alternative offers to enhance surgical safety without adding to the patient's financial burden.