A retained surgical sponge (gossypiboma) mimicking a paraspinal abscess.

Gossypiboma (textiloma, gauzoma, muslinoma) is a rare iatrogenic mass caused by the retention of gauze fibres during surgery. This intraoperative complication has rarely been reported for an intraspinal or paraspinal location. Here, we present a patient in whom a retained surgical sponge between the paraspinal muscles was encountered 3 years after lumbar surgery, and discuss the radiological and pathological appearance and differential diagnosis.