Retained vaginal gauze with unusual complication: a case report

Abstract

We report a case of a postpartum retained vaginal gauze which migrated to the bladder and presented as a bladder stone. The patient had received numerous clinical evaluations for her chronic abdominal pain, of all which failed to detect or indicate the presence of retained gauze. Retained surgical gauze is a preventable problem but continues to occur periodically. Prevention remains the key to this problem. The gauze packed within the vagina either after transvaginal surgery or delivery should be cared for as in other parts of the body. Though extremely rare, retained surgical gauze should be considered in the differential diagnosis in postpartum patients with chronic abdominal pain, irritable bladder symptoms or pelvic abscess.