Iatrogenic Metallic Foreign Body in the Endopelvic Region: A Case Report

The retention of a medical device is a surgeon’s nightmare. It occurs in various situations, and its prevalence is estimated at 0.3 to 1 case per 1000 abdominal procedures [1]. Despite its low frequency, diagnostic difficulties and economic impact make this issue a pathology whose clinical forms and therapeutic options should be well known, and prevention strategies revisited [2]. We present the case of a 58-year-old woman operated on 28 years earlier for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Surgical exploration revealed multiple metallic foreign bodies in the pelvis, whose spatial arrangement suggested a surgical instrument similar to a Halstead clamp. Complete removal of these foreign bodies required multidisciplinary collaboration involving urology, visceral surgery, and neurosurgery teams, performed under intraoperative fluoroscopic control. Postoperative recovery was uneventful.