Three Cases of Intrathoracic Gossypiboma with Varying Morbidities Depending on the Time of Detection

Abstract

An intrathoracic gossypiboma (surgical sponge retained within the thoracic cavity during surgery) is rare but causes serious surgical complications and presents with difficulties in the differential diagnosis. In this article, we describe three cases of intrathoracic gossypiboma identified with the help of exploratory surgery 22, 10 and 3 years after they had been retained after surgery. The radiological findings varied in these cases and were insufficient for an accurate preoperative diagnosis. Marked deterioration in the neighboring lung tissue was observed over time, and the patients who had gossypibomas for 22, 10 and 3 years required pneumonectomy, lobectomy and partial decortication, respectively.

Surgical sponge - thoracic surgery - pneumonectomy - thoracotomy

References

• 1 Buy J N, Hubert C, Ghossain M A et al. Computed tomography of retained abdominal sponges and towels.  Gastrointest Radiol. 1989;  14 41-45
• 2 Kuwashima S, Yamato M, Fujioka M, Ishibashi M, Kogure H et al. MR findings of surgically retained sponges and towels: report of two cases.  Radiat Med. 1993;  11 98-101
• 3 Choi B I, Kim S H, Yu E S, Chung H S, Han M C et al. Retained surgical sponge: diagnosis with CT and sonography.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1988;  150 1047-1050
• 4 Sheehan R E, Sheppard M N, Hansell D M. Retained intrathoracic surgical swab: CT appearances.  J Thorac Imaging. 2000;  15 61-64
• 5 Suwatanapongched T, Boonkasem S, Sathianpitayakul E, Leelachaikul P. Intrathoracic gossypiboma: radiographic and CT findings.  Br J Radiol. 2005;  78 851-853
• 6 Topal U, Gebitekin C, Tuncel E. Intrathoracic gossypiboma.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001;  177 1485-1486