Intrathoracic gossypiboma causing intractable cough

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2012 Feb;14(2):228-30. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivr058. Epub 2011 Nov 23.

Abstract

A 45-year old woman presented with a 5-month history of coughing, eight months after surgery for post-tubercular fibrosis with bronchiectasis. Upon computerized tomography (CT) scanning, a sponge-like structure was seen in the pneumonectomy cavity near the stump of the right main bronchus. Bronchoscopic examination revealed a whitish mass blocking the right main bronchial stump which, upon attempted retrieval, yielded long threads of cotton fibres from a retained surgical gauze. The gossypiboma was removed surgically and the patient became symptom-free. Although rare after thoracic surgery, gossypibomas need to be considered in symptoms following surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bronchoscopy
  • Cough / etiology*
  • Cough / surgery
  • Female
  • Foreign Bodies / diagnosis
  • Foreign Bodies / etiology*
  • Foreign Bodies / surgery
  • Humans
  • Medical Errors*
  • Middle Aged
  • Pneumonectomy / adverse effects*
  • Reoperation
  • Surgical Mesh*
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome