Gossypiboma: diagnostic impasse - a case report

Gossypiboma/textiloma is a retained foreign body reaction to a surgical gauze or towel unintentionally retained inside the body following surgery, which is often missed to be diagnosed. The foreign body reaction to the retained gauze pieces’ aid in the diagnosis of this rare condition. We report a case of a 60-year-old lady patient with a history of open abdominal surgery, presented with chief complaint of pain abdomen and swelling. After a series of inconclusive laboratory and radiological investigations, she underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy which led to the confirmation of the diagnosis of gossypiboma. Gossypiboma is a two-faced sword, as it not only causes increased morbidity and mortality in the patients, but also carries significant concern on medico legal fronts. Therefore, it must form an integral part of differential diagnostic approaches in any postoperative patient who presents vague symptoms, and it is recommended to use the latest systems to reduce the incidence of gossypiboma.