In a shocking incident, a seven-year-old boy suffered from severe abdomen pain and vomiting for about 24-48 hours after consuming magnets. The boy who hails from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh was rushed to hospital after his condition deteriorated.
After the doctors examined the boy, they found that magnets were present inside his stomach.
“Reports of the clinical examination and investigations revealed the presence of foreign bodies in the boy’s abdomen. Retrospectively boy’s parents also expressed their doubt that the boy had been playing with magnetic balls for the past couple of days. Timely identification and intervention prevented the child from severe sepsis and prolonged ICU stay”, said Dr. Vamsi Sivarama Raju, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Vijayawada in a statement.
According to Dr. Raju, the ingestion of such magnets is increasing in children due to widespread use in toys.
“…Taiwanese study reported 13 cases of magnet ingestion from 2009 to 2018 and China reported a maximum number of such cases -56 cases, between the years 2010-2020. Such was the case in Central Israel where the doctors had to do an urgent intestinal amputation after a toddler had ingested a chain of magnets, resulting in severe vomiting and intestinal obstruction. Among these the highest number of magnets retrieved in a child was 73.” he added.
The child was taken up for surgery on an emergency basis. According to the doctor, intra-operatively multiple bowel perforations were noted in the small intestine and a large perforation in the large intestine.
During the surgery, the doctors extracted multiple small pearl-shaped magnets, approximately 50 were removed from the boy’s intestine with the help of C-ARM X-Ray.
“Perforations were closed and a temporary ileostomy was performed. The boy was in the ICU for a very brief period and started recovering very quickly. Ileostomy closure was done after two months”, explained Dr. Siva Satya Prasun, Consultant Pediatric Surgeon at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Vijayawada.
The doctors also revealed that the child has been discharged and he is doing well now.
Pediatricians have time and again cautioned parents to be watchful of their children’s toys and games that have batteries, magnets, and other foreign objects. This is because, unlike other foreign objects that pass through the intestines and come out without much problem, magnets can actually damage the child’s intestine.
