Table 2. Comparison of hemostatic material, gossypiboma, and abscess.

	Hemostatic material	Gossypiboma	Abscess
Clinical presentation	History of recent surgery; usually an incidental finding	History of surgery; may have fever or pain	Fever, pain, leukocytosis
Duration	Seen up to 6 wk postoperatively	Persistent; will be seen on delayed imaging	Evolves with clinical progression
Enhancing rim	Absent unless secondary to foreign body reaction	Present	Present
Content	Air pockets appear linearly arranged and packed; will not vary in position with repeat imaging	Mottled; radiodense marker usually seen within	Variable air pockets that change with repeat imaging. Often have air–fluid levels
Complication	Nil	Adhesions, fistulization, and abscess formation	Fistulization