An intrathoracic gossypiboma (surgical sponge retained within the thoracic cavity
during surgery) is rare but causes serious surgical complications and presents with
difficulties in the differential diagnosis. In this article, we describe three cases
of intrathoracic gossypiboma identified with the help of exploratory surgery 22, 10
and 3 years after they had been retained after surgery. The radiological findings
varied in these cases and were insufficient for an accurate preoperative diagnosis.
Marked deterioration in the neighboring lung tissue was observed over time, and the
patients who had gossypibomas for 22, 10 and 3 years required pneumonectomy, lobectomy
and partial decortication, respectively.
Surgical sponge - thoracic surgery - pneumonectomy - thoracotomy
