[A case of paravesical foreign body granuloma due to surgical sponge retained for 40 years].

A 67-year-old man complained of vague pain in the lower abdomen persisting over 10 years. A hard mass was palpable just under an operative scar (right Gibson incision for ureterolithotomy performed 40 years previously). In addition to the patient's history and physical examination, abdominal echography, computerized tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed and resulted in a preoperative diagnosis of retroperitoneal gauzeoma. The paravesical mass, 7 x 6 x 6 cm in size, was surgically removed, which was an encapsulated granuloma surrounding a surgical sponge. The possibility of foreign body granulomas due to a retained surgical sponge (so-called gauzeomas) should be considered in patients who have a previous history of abdominal operations.