A woman discovered, about a month after giving birth at Hospital de Braga, that she had a forgotten compress inside her body. The case was revealed by the Health Regulatory Authority, which confirmed having received a formal complaint about the incident.
The patient sought medical care presenting symptoms and discomfort, and it was then that she discovered the foreign body during a medical consultation or examination. The compress had remained inside her body throughout the entire postpartum period.
Hospital de Braga acknowledged responsibility for the medical error and presented apologies to the patient. The institution stated that it is monitoring the case and has taken measures to prevent similar situations from occurring again.
This type of incident is classified as a serious adverse event and is subject to mandatory reporting to health authorities, as provided under Portuguese legislation. The woman may be entitled to compensation for the physical and psychological damages suffered.
