A person undergone appendisectomy. On post op day 10 he died, postmoem patholist found gossypiboma. It is a case of –
**Core Concept**
Gossypiboma, also known as a textiloma or retained surgical sponge, is a rare but serious complication of surgery where a foreign object, usually a surgical sponge, is left behind in the patient's body. This can occur due to human error during the surgical procedure.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
In this case, the patient underwent an appendisectomy and died on post-operative day 10 due to a gossypiboma. The pathologist found a retained surgical sponge, which is a classic example of a gossypiboma. The sponge likely caused a significant inflammatory response, leading to sepsis and ultimately the patient's death. Gossypibomas are often associated with a high mortality rate if not promptly treated.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** This option is not relevant to the scenario described. The patient's death was not due to a pulmonary embolism.
* **Option B:** This option is incorrect because a gossypiboma is a specific type of retained foreign object, not a general term for a retained surgical instrument.
* **Option C:** This option is not relevant to the scenario described. The patient's death was not due to a cardiac arrhythmia.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Gossypibomas are a rare but serious complication of surgery, and their diagnosis is often made at autopsy. To prevent gossypibomas, surgeons use radiopaque markers on surgical sponges and count them carefully before and after the procedure.
**Correct Answer: B. Gossypiboma**