Abdominal radiograph unknown 10

Anshuman Bansal

JHU SOM

abansal1@jhmi.edu

David Marker

JHU SOM

dmarker@jhmi.edu


Publication Date: 2009-09-11

Findings

This patient just had surgery. At the end of the surgery, the scrub techs were not able to account for all of the surgical tools. An x-ray was requested.

  1. Can you find anything that may have been left in the patient during the surgery?

    Surgical sponge

    Correct! There is a radiodense marker woven into surgical towels. In the patient's pelvis you can see that a towel was left in the patient. This would explain why the instrument count was incorrect.
    Scalpel

    Incorrect. This would not be good, though! Try again.
    Kelly clamp

    Incorrect. There is no evidence of a Kelly clamp on this radiograph. Try again.
    Unused suture

    Incorrect. Although the shape of the radiodensity in the pelvis is compatible with suture, surgical suture usually is not radiodense so it would not be visible on x-ray. Try again!

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