Neurosurgical gossypiboma radiologically mimicking a lumbar abscess

Abstract

Lumbar discectomy is the most common operative technique at neurosurgery clinics around the world. The complications of lumbar disc operation include infections, dural tear, bleeding, vascular, and intestinal injuries. Infectious complications of lumbar disc surgery are superficial and profound tissue infections, meningitides, and epidural abscess. Although retained surgical sponges (gossypiboma) are well known intraoperative complications in other surgical branches, they have not been widely reported in neurosurgery. In this report, we present a case of retained surgical sponge at the operation site and discuss with the literature.