Laparoscopic removal of a chronically retained gauze.

This case report presents a 49-year-old man with a history of referred right thoracic pain due to a gauze pad, left in the abdomen 22 years earlier following a surgical intervention for gastric perforation. This subphrenic encapsulated aseptic granuloma surrounding a gauze has been removed laparoscopically. The gauze had decomposed into a semi-liquid material consisting of hundreds of small particles and could not be removed in one piece; a basket was used. As one does not know whether the gauze and its surrounding tissue has infected or become malignant, it might be better to remove it as a whole with its capsule.