Surgical Swab Left Inside Patient After Procedure, Resulting in Hospital Readmission On December 2, 2021, a woman underwent an elective surgery at Manukau SuperClinic hospital. Following the procedure, she experienced foul-smelling vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, and other symptoms. After examining herself, she discovered a yellow cloth protruding from her vagina. Upon contacting Healthline, she was advised to seek immediate medical attention. During a gynecological exam, 17 days after surgery, a doctor removed a surgical swab that had been inadvertently left inside her vagina. The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) investigated the incident and determined that Health NZ had breached the patient’s right to receive services provided with reasonable care and skill. The surgical counting process had failed to account for the missing swab, leading to a “clear demonstration of a system failure.” Health NZ apologized to the patient and implemented several changes to reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future, including: * Conducting random audits of patient records * Staff training on counting policies * Swift response to the incident The HDC made recommendations to further enhance patient safety, such as: * Conducting a full review of counting policies * Ensuring regular training for all staff involved in surgical procedures * Developing a system to track and respond to incidents of incorrect countsA 45-year-old woman was shocked to discover a swab had been left inside her vagina for more than two weeks following surgery. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, underwent a hysterectomy at a private hospital in Sydney, Australia, on July 28. During the surgery, a swab was used to soak up blood and fluids. However, it was not removed before the woman was discharged from hospital two days later. The woman did not experience any pain or discomfort in the weeks following her surgery. However, she became concerned when she started to experience vaginal discharge and a foul odor. She went back to the hospital on August 14, where a doctor examined her and found the swab still in her vagina. The swab was removed and the woman was given antibiotics to treat the infection. The woman is now considering legal action against the hospital. A spokesperson for the hospital said they are investigating the incident. “We are very sorry that this has happened,” the spokesperson said. “We are taking this matter very seriously and are investigating how it occurred.” The spokesperson said the hospital has a policy of counting all swabs before and after surgery to ensure that none are left inside patients. “We are reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure that this does not happen again,” the spokesperson said.