Magnets, children and the bowel: A dangerous attraction?

Figure 1 Symptoms may vary from totally asymptomatic or an unrelated pain to a mild flu-like illness with nonspecific symptoms of nausea, vomiting, cramps, or abdominal pain, to features of bowel obstruction or localized peritonitis. A: Magnetic cause for an acute appendicitis in an 8-year-old child; B: Laparotomy for peritonitis showed small bowel fistulation caused by two magnets.

Figure 2 If multiple magnet ingestion is suspected, the entire gastrointestinal tract remains at risk of perforation even if the child is asymptomatic. A: Asymptomatic 18-mo-old child 96 h after ingestion of magnet; B: Silent gastro-jejeno-colic fistula at laparotomy; C: Ten strongly attracted magnetic balls lying across the fistula.

Figure 3 A view for magnet removal.