Background: Forgetting a foreign body in the abdominal cavity is an
unpleasant and avoidable situation. It usually occurs when the
preventive protocols are not followed precisely. In such a case clinical
consequences are unpredictable and relaparotomy may become necessary.
Case presentation: We present the case of a temporary intestinal
obstruction six months after a transabdominal hysterectomy. Diagnostic
workup revealed a laparotomy-gauze left in the abdominal cavity at the
previous operation. Exploration showed that the gauze was actually
located in the intestinal lumen. The inflammatory reaction elicited by
the foreign body eroded the intestinal wall and allowed its intraluminal
migration. The gauze moved distally due to peristalsis until it became
trapped in the ileocecal valve causing obstruction. When it finally
passed through the valve the obstruction was relieved. Intraoperative
maneuvers advanced the foreign body further forward until it was removed
transanally. Conclusion: The formal processes-counting the gauzes
continually and double crossing the counting-must be kept in every
laparotomy to avoid the unpleasant experience of gauze remaining in the
peritoneal cavity. In such an unfortunate case traditional open surgery
provides a safe solution to the patient’s problem
