I suffered months of pain after surgery – then an X-ray revealed 18cm surgical scissors were left rotting inside me

A MUM-of-three spent months in agonising pain after an operation, only to find out doctors had left 18cm surgical scissors inside her. The trapped metal blades were rotting inside Erica Cristina Bannai Von Hoonholtz for three months, which left her feeling like “something was trying to come out from inside me”. Doctors reportedly left surgical scissors inside the abdomen of Erica Cristina Bannai Von Hoonholtz Credit: Newsflash/NX An X-ray shows the 18cm blades – which had started to rot inside Erica Credit: Newsflash/NX Details of the shocking medical mishap emerged on 28th July, exposing how the metal blades remained trapped inside her body for three months. The scissors were only reportedly discovered during emergency surgery at Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital in Braganca Paulista, a city in Sao Paulo State, south-eastern Brazil, on 11th April. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! They had been forgotten during a hysterectomy – to remove the reproductive organs – in January. An X-ray shows the scissors lodged inside the abdomen of Erica after she had been suffering agonising pain, persistent vomiting and severe discomfort. Eventually she rushed to the emergency department, telling local media: “I arrived at the hospital completely disoriented with pain. “They gave me medication, but nothing worked. “It didn’t stop the vomiting or the pain. “It was unbearable. Most read in Health Erica rushed to the emergency department when she could no longer take the pain she had endured for three months Credit: Newsflash/NX Mum Erica said: “Now it’s finally sinking in how close I came to losing my life.” Credit: Newsflash/NX “It felt like something was trying to come out from inside me.” According to Erica, surgeons took her into the operating theatre during the early hours of 11th April. She said doctors found the forgotten scissors during the procedure and discovered that part of her small intestine had become necrotic. Erica said she had undergone four operations in total. They included the original hysterectomy, surgery to remove the scissors, another operation to repair a hernia and drain an intestinal abscess, and a fourth procedure to treat a liver abscess. She said: “Now it’s finally sinking in how close I came to losing my life. “I’m recovering, but I’m still trying to process everything psychologically. “Now I’m just hoping I recover, because otherwise I’ll have to go back into surgery again.” Erica said representatives from the hospital acknowledged what had happened after the scissors were removed and began providing medical assistance. She said the hospital had covered treatment related to the case after she lost her health insurance and a concrete job opportunity. She also said her three children had been offered psychological support by the hospital. Erica added: “Everything related to the scissors, they’ve supported me with. “Whenever I feel pain, I go there and they treat me. “My children are also receiving psychological care.” She said lawyers representing the surgeon contacted her two days after the scissors were removed with a proposed settlement, but discussions did not continue. Erica also alleged the surgeon repeatedly encouraged her, before and after the hysterectomy, to undergo a cosmetic tummy tuck costing BRL 8,500 (GBP 1,250) on a private basis. She further claimed she was upset to see the surgeon continuing to treat patients during another hospital admission in July. The patient filed a police report, and the case is also being investigated as a criminal matter. Court records show proceedings have been underway since 28th May at the Special Civil and Criminal Court in Braganca Paulista. Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital said it could not comment publicly on individual cases because of patient confidentiality and data protection laws. The hospital added that it remained available to cooperate with the relevant authorities through official channels. Local police have officially launched a full-scale investigation into bodily injury that could leave the surgeon facing potential charges for criminal negligence. The surgeon had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the latest local reports. Comment now