How many times has something been left inside someone after a surgery?
How long do these objects typically go unnoticed?
It what different ways are they dealt with?
What types of objects have been left behind?
How many people have died as a result of complications cause by these
types of accidents?
What's the longest something has been left inside someone?

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Clarification of Question by fstar-ga on 21 May 2006 16:00 PDT

Also, I'd like to know of some famous cases where something like this
happened, and some instances where patients were impressively
compensated.

This is a fascinating subject, but the scope is such that I doubt that
it can be well answered in the five or ten minutes that would normally
be devoted to a $2 question.

I understand it happens a lot in combat related surgery. 

Think of the series Mash.  Some of details would get left behind.