eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Medical Case Reports 2014-07-08 2 6 123 125 10.12691/ajmcr-2-6-4 AJMCR2014264 article M E Aghahowa 1 F F Achem 2 E O Umobong 3 B A Ojo babarindeo@yahoo.com 4 Department of Surgery, Asokoro District Hospital, Julius Nyerere Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fereprod Medical Centre, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria HistoConsult Laboratories Garki, Abuja, Nigeria Department of Histopathology, College of Health Scienes, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria 2 cases of Gossypiboma also called Textiloma or Gauzeoma are presented with the attendant management challenges. One of them presented with an intra peritoneal abscess and a fistula necessitating a 2 staged bowel resection and colostomy then closure while the other simulated a complete intra luminal colonic tumor with sub acute intestinal obstruction. Despite the serious medico-legal and psychological issues involved the patients were duly informed. The doctors that did the previous surgeries were also informed. The surgical team is advised to be meticulous with swab counts in order to avoid its occurrence and when it does a high index of suspicion is required for early diagnosis and management. The policy of prevention coupled with use of several adjunct technologies which accounts for sponge use will help to reduce the incidence of gossypibomas. These strategies to avoid its occurrence are also discussed. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmcr/2/6/4/ajmcr-2-6-4.pdf gossypiboma colonic tumor laparoscopy medico-legal textiloma Abuja