A case of recurrent dyspareunia: A matter of medical liability?

Female sexual pain (FSP) is a disorder that can greatly affect women’s health, relationships, work productivity, and quality of life. FSP is characterized by genital pain just before, during, or after sexual intercourse. FSP may depend on many possible causes ranging from anatomical alterations to psychological or social issues. The authors describe a case of a 54-year-old woman, suffering from female sexual pain for nine years. An abdominal echography of the patient was performed and it revealed a retained intra-abdominal foreign body. It was forgotten during a hysterectomy by the surgeon 9 years prior. In cases of injury and/or death caused by a foreign body, the main surgeon and his assistant/subordinate are punishable by law for engaging in markedly imprudent and/or negligent conduct. This conduct includes not scrupulously double-checking the surgical site before its closure to highlight forgotten foreign bodies. Either the circulator nurse or the theatre nurse may be considered liable for this case of malpractice.