# Case Report: A Painful Twist of Fate Due to Intra-abdominal Textiloma

## TL;DR

A woman with a history of surgery developed severe abdominal complications from retained surgical textile material, leading to a fatal outcome.

## Contribution

This case highlights the rare but serious complication of textiloma and emphasizes the need for early recognition and preventive strategies.

## Key findings

- A 38-year-old woman presented with complications from a retained surgical textile 15 years after an ovarian cystectomy.
- The patient developed sepsis and intestinal perforations requiring emergency surgery but ultimately died from septic shock.
- The case underscores the importance of considering textiloma in patients with unexplained abdominal masses and surgical history.

## Abstract

Textiloma refers to a retained surgical textile material within the body after surgery. It is a rare but serious iatrogenic complication that may remain asymptomatic for years.

We report a case of a 38-year-old woman with a history of open ovarian cystectomy 15 years earlier, presenting with persistent abdominal pain. Imaging revealed a complex pelvic mass with abscess formation and enteric fistula. Despite interventional drainage and antibiotic therapy, the patient developed signs of sepsis. Endoscopic evaluation revealed a retained surgical textile in the rectum, which was extracted. The patient subsequently developed generalized peritonitis and underwent emergency laparotomy revealing two retained textilomas and multiple intestinal perforations. Despite aggressive surgical intervention, the patient succumbed to septic shock on postoperative day one.

Textiloma should be considered in patients with atypical abdominal masses and previous surgical history. Preventive strategies and early recognition are critical to avoid fatal outcomes.