An unfortunate incident of a surgical swab left in the sphenoid sinus for eight years

Authors

  • Hamid Shah Final Year MBBS Student, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
  • Imran Mohib Khan Department of ENT, Northwest General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar, Pakistan
  • Ayub Khan Final Year MBBS Student, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.6953

Abstract

Retained foreign bodies are foreign materials which are left accidentally inside a patient’s body after a procedure. In this report we present the case of a 57 year old man who presented to the ENT clinic with a history of symptoms stretching over 8 years back to when he underwent a hypophysectomy through the transsphenoidal approach. These symptoms included cacosmia, ageusia, altered taste at times, foul smelling discharge, nasal discharge and dizziness. He had undergone multiple radiological examinations as well as antibiotic courses. It was only after the examination of the nose under general anaesthesia, conducted by the corresponding author that a swab was found in the sphenoid sinus which was left behind from his surgery 8 years ago. Cases of retained foreign bodies are very rare and are easily preventable. This case highlights the importance of adherence to health and safety protocols to prevent such an avoidable complication.

Author Biography

Imran Mohib Khan, Department of ENT, Northwest General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar, Pakistan

Consultant, ENT department 

Published

2023-07-15

How to Cite

Shah, H., Khan, I. M., & Ayub Khan. (2023). An unfortunate incident of a surgical swab left in the sphenoid sinus for eight years. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 73(8), 1762–1764. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.6953

Issue

Section

CASE REPORT