A Compress Forgotten in the Stomach for 17 Years: A Case Report

Introduction: Hardly a month goes by without a surgical journal publishing a clinical case in which a surgeon has forgotten to place a cotton pad or woven drape in a patient's body, usually in the abdomen [1] The aim was to demonstrate that a compress can remain in the abdomen for a long time without being talked about. Patient and Observation: We report the result of a clinical observation by Mrs MD, a 42-year-old Guinean merchant, operated on in 1997 in Guinea Bissau at KANTHIOUNKO hospital for a cyst of the right ovary. She consulted our department for abdominal pain. The existence of clinical signs justified systematic exploratory laparotomy to avoid secondary complications. Results-Commentary: Dissection of the mass revealed an abdominal compress that had remained in the abdomen for 17 years. In particular, chronic cases do not present specific clinical and radiological signs for differential diagnosis. The unprepared abdominal X-ray is of limited value, while ultrasound is reliable. Conclusion: Counting field compresses and other abdominal surgical material is a safe means of prevention, and the best approach to avoid this type of postoperative complication.