Gossypiboma - Rare Cause of Rectovaginal Fistula: A Case Report

Gossypiboma is the term used when a surgical sponge is left unknowingly in the patient’s body after a surgical procedure. It is a grave but preventable complication of surgery which can lead to serious medico-legal complications. It may either present early with/without lump formation or may remain asymptomatic for a long time with only vague symptoms. However, gossypiboma leading to the formation of a rectovaginal fistula is extremely rare.

We report a case of a 40-year lady who presented with vague pain abdomen and passage of stools and flatus per vagina. She had a history of total abdominal hysterectomy eight months back done at an outside hospital. A computed tomography (CT) revealed a retained surgical sponge and a fistulous tract between the rectum and vagina. Exploratory laparotomy was done at our institution and the surgical sponge was extracted from a mass comprising of distal ileum and sigmoid colon. Bowel continuity was restored with an ileal diversion.