Operative material left in the abdominal cavity during surgical procedures.

The authors present seven cases of surgical drape left in body cavities during surgical operations. The most common symptoms reported by these patients are analysed and the consequences of leaving a foreign body in the abdominal cavity are summarised. In the majority of cases, the time elapsed from the operation to the detection of the foreign body was an average of 17 months. In one case, the foreign body remained in the abdomen for 7 years. The most common symptom reported by patients was abdominal pain. Some patients also developed wound healing disorders with leakage of pus from the wound, fever, nausea and vomiting, weight loss or intermittent tarry stools. In most cases, the foreign body required reoperation to remove it. Major surgery with stoma creation or bowel resection was required. In one case described, the consequence of leaving a surgical drape was the death of the patient. In three cases, there was spontaneous expulsion of the surgical sling by the patient by natural means.