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Review
. 2024 Jun 18;18(1):293.
doi: 10.1186/s13256-024-04490-7.

Gossypiboma larynx: a rare cause of post-tracheostomy stridor-case report and review of literature

Gagan S Prakash  1 , Vikyath Satish  2 , Bharath Raju  3 , Neema Jayachamarajapura Onkaramurthy  4 , Sathya Prakash  5
Affiliations
Review

Gossypiboma larynx: a rare cause of post-tracheostomy stridor-case report and review of literature

Gagan S Prakash et al. J Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Background: Gossypiboma, a retained surgical sponge with a foreign body reaction, is an unusual but serious complication seen in open abdominal surgeries. It is exceptionally rare following head and neck surgeries. Here, we present a case of Gossypiboma of the upper airway following tracheostomy.

Case presentation: A 32-year-old male presented with stridor and difficulty breathing one-month post-tracheostomy after a severe head injury following a road traffic accident. A neck radiograph was unremarkable, and a computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck showed a well-defined homogenous curvilinear membrane extending from the hypopharynx to the upper trachea. Bronchoscopic evaluation of the larynx and upper trachea revealed a retained surgical sponge, which was retrieved. The patient's breathing improved drastically post intervention.

Conclusion: Gossypiboma may go undetected in radiographs and may also present atypically as a homogenous membrane on a CT scan of the neck. Though rare, retained surgical items can have profound medicolegal and professional consequences on physicians. Hence, a strong clinical suspicion and vigilance for gossypiboma is necessary for patients presenting with respiratory distress post-tracheostomy.

Keywords: Bronchoscopy; Foreign body; Gossypiboma; Laryngeal membrane; Larynx; Stridor; Surgical gauze; Tracheostomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant competing interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Homogenous curvilinear soft tissue density in the hypopharynx, larynx, and upper trachea causing mild to moderate luminal narrowing seen on CT scan of the neck
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Gossypiboma retrieved from the larynx by bronchoscopy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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