(REUTERS file photo)

The family of a now-deceased German man claims surgeons left 16 items in his body following prostate cancer surgery.

A lawyer for Helmut Brecht said a needle, compresses and surgical strips were removed from his client's body. The items were discovered after Brecht didn't heal properly after his 2009 surgery.

Brecht, 77, died last year and his family is looking for $106,216 in damages from the hospital that performed the surgery.

The hospital has rejected the family's claims and said the items couldn't have been left in Brecht's body because the equipment wasn't used at the hospital.

A hospital spokesman also said the compensation request is too high.