Gossypiboma: A cause of iatrogenic fecal entero-cutaneous fistula

Gossypiboma or textiloma is used to describe a retained surgical swab in the body after an operation. Inadvertent retention of a foreign body in the abdomen often requires another surgery. Foreign bodies forgotten in the abdomen include towels, artery forceps, pieces of broken instruments or irrigation sets, and rubber tubes. The most common surgically retained foreign body is the laparotomy sponge. Such materials cause foreign body reaction in the surrounding tissue. The complications caused by these foreign bodies are well known, but cases are rarely published because of medico-legal implications. We report a case of 36-year-old teacher who was admitted with 1-week complaints of colicky abdominal pain, postprandial vomiting and entero-cutaneous fistula following caesarean section performed 6 months prior to her referral to our hospital. Clinicians and Pathologists must have a high index of suspicion of this entity and its proper reporting, as the cases are liable to go to court.