A case of retained surgical mop in abdomen with partial intragastric migration: a case report

Though not uncommon, to retain a foreign body in the abdomen is a preventable error that makes the life of a patient miserable. One of the commonest retained foreign bodies is surgical mop or sponge. Retained mop may cause either an early septic reaction or a late fibrotic reaction. They often cause sinus or fistula and even can transmigrate in to the lumen of viscera. In case of upper abdominal retained mops, they usually erode the thin duodenal wall and rarely stomach. In this case, a mop was retained in the deep subhepatic space 2.5 months ago following open cholecystectomy. It caused an aseptic fibrotic reaction resulting in encapsulation of the mop. It then eroded the antral part of stomach through the lesser curvature and caused luminal obstruction. The patient presented with vomiting after each meal. Upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) endoscopy revealed a woven fabric object that was impacted and occluded the lumen. The retained mop was removed after laparotomy and the antral wall was repaired well. This case is noteworthy due to its less symptom and penetration into the stomach.