A surgical bag retained for eight years: A case report: Surgical bag retained for eight years

Lidia Berthon; Amir Rastegar; Nasibeh Khaleghnejad-tabari; Farshad Shabani; Andre Risha

doi:10.28982/josam.8298

Authors

Lidia Berthon General Surgery, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6566-676X
Amir Rastegar General Surgery, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2472-8416
Nasibeh Khaleghnejad-tabari General Surgery, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4570-7416
Farshad Shabani General Surgery, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1117-9651
Andre Risha General Surgery, Noble's Hospital, Isle of Man https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9809-7325

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28982/josam.8298

Keywords:

retained surgical item, case report, surgical safety, small bowel obstruction, foreign body

Abstract

Retained surgical items, including sponges and other operative materials, can cause substantial harm beyond the perioperative period. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman in whom a surgical bag was retained for eight years after an open laparotomy performed in 2012. Abdominal pain and vomiting began two weeks after the original operation and continued intermittently throughout the eight-year period, leading to 36 imaging examinations. None of the reports raised concern for a retained surgical item. This case illustrates how retained surgical items may remain clinically occult despite recurrent symptoms and repeated imaging. It also highlights the importance of prevention, early suspicion, and inclusion of a retained surgical item in the differential diagnosis when postoperative abdominal symptoms persist, especially after technically complex surgery. The case is notable because the retained item was a large surgical bag and because of the prolonged interval before diagnosis.

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