Accidental ingestion of magnetic foreign body in a pediatric patient: A potentially fatal attraction

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is one of the most common pediatric emergencies. As part of their cognitive development, infants and toddlers are extremely curious and constantly explore their surroundings through their senses, namely taste. The ubiquity of toys containing magnetic elements consecutively meant an increase in the cases of children ingesting said magnets. While most ingested foreign bodies, including a single magnet, will spontaneously traverse the gastrointestinal tract without problems, some may give rise to grave and potentially life-threatening complications; the latter is often seen in the presence of 2 or more magnets or paramagnetic material. The diagnosis of ingestion of magnetic foreign bodies remains a challenge, given its often ambiguous history and presentation; nonetheless, their abundance, gravity, and preventability of their complications alone should render physicians vigilant and keep a low threshold of suspicion.

Keywords

• Foreign body
• Ultrasound
• Pediatric radiology
• Radiology
• Intestinal obstruction