A Rare Complication Of Abdominal War Surgery: Gossypiboma In A Child Refugee

BACKGROUND: Gossypiboma is a term used for a forgotten cotton sponge or gauze in the body. Gossypiomas may be fistulae from the peritoneal cavity to the gastrointestinal tract or may extructed to the urinary bladder, intestines and skin. İntestinal obstruction and perforation may ocur.
CASE REPORT: In this case we present a four years old war victim boy complicated with a huge gossypiboma. He applied to our clinic with intestinal obstruction. Clinic investigations showed that 11x4 cm sized mass presented on the left upper side of the abdomen. While surgical operation, a gastro-ileo-colic fistula was detected due to a foreign body. After all approaches he survived with no complication.
CONCLUSİON: Forgeting a foreign object in human body by surgical operations is a very worrying situation for surgeons, although it is very rare. Gossypiboma should be kept in mind especially in the cases of refugees and war victims who went under surgery with increased stress due to war conditions.