Bladder stones secondary to migratory gauze strand postcesarean delivery: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Gauze is commonly used in surgery. Sometimes strands of gauze are left in situ during surgery. These gauze strands could cause problems later. We report a case of bladder stones secondary to migratory gauze strand postcesarean section. We present a 62-year-old widow who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms of 13-year duration following a cesarean section 15 years before presentation. She had a radiologic diagnosis of multiple bladder stones which on surgical removal, a gauze strand was found to be the nidus for stone formation. A migratory gauze strand from surgery done 15 years before presentation served as a nidus for bladder stone formation in a 62-year-old patient. Surgeons should be careful during pelvic surgeries/procedures not to leave behind foreign bodies like gauze strands that could migrate and cause bladder stones and its attendant sequelae.