A perioperative overview of a retained surgical swab in spinal surgery: Case report and prevention protocol

Introduction: Retained wound swabs although classified as a ‘never event’ and well documented in many surgical specialties are uncommon in spinal surgery. The aim of this article is to highlight the perioperative circumstances of an incident of a retained surgical swab and present a prevention protocol, in an attempt to eliminate its incidence. Case Report: The perioperative management of a 53-year-old male undergoing spinal surgery in whom a surgical swab was retained is reported. In addition to existing safety procedures such as the World Health Organization checklist, a Retained Surgical Swab-Prevention Protocol was implemented in our hospital and is presented to eliminate the occurrence of this ‘never event’ occurring again. Conclusion: Retained surgical swabs or instruments are rare in spinal surgery occurring mostly in the lumbar spine, during emergency and prolonged procedures in patients with high body mass index. Maintaining a high index of suspicion and utilising a prevention protocol will prevent further harm to the patient.