Intestinal Complications of Magnet Ingestion in Children from the Pediatric Surgery Perspective

Introduction

Ingestion of foreign bodies is not an uncommon clinical scenario seen by the emergency medicine physician, pediatrician, or pediatric surgeon. Often, ingested foreign bodies beyond the esophagus are treated conservatively without intervention. However, the ingestion of magnets poses an underappreciated and potentially hazardous clinical risk. Allowing magnets to pass naturally may be fraught with morbidity which may lead to extensive surgical intervention.

We present the case of a two-year-old child in whom ingestion of multiple magnets led to the formation of a small bowel fistula leading to internal herniation and small bowel obstruction. We discuss the literature together with the diagnosis and management of ingestion of multiple magnets.

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