Retained foreign bodies including gossypiboma could be silent for years. However, in some cases, it can lead to major complications. Gossypiboma is not frequently reported for multiple reasons, including nonspecific presentation clinically and radiologically, and ethical issues. We present a case of a gossypiboma that was retained for more than 20 years causing a severe intestinal obstruction for an elderly female. The intestinal obstruction was initially thought to be adhesive in nature and was managed initially conservatively, but with failure to improve, the patient was taken for exploratory laparotomy, and the foreign body was found attached to the root of the mesentery posterior to the transverse colon. This case sheds light on the fact that although surgical tools are of great utility, they must be managed with utmost care to prevent complications and secure patients' safety.
Keywords: abdominal pain; abdominal surgery; exploratory laparotomy; gossypiboma; retained foreign body; small bowel obstruction; surgical sponges.
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