A Gastric Magnetic Foreign Body Incidentally Detected Several Years after Ingestion

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is commonly seen in children. However, occasionally it may also be seen among adults and is often associated with intellectual disability, psychiatric disorders, and alcoholism. Ingestion of a magnetic foreign body may cause complications such as gastrointestinal tract perforation, wherein emergency endoscopic removal of the foreign body is generally required. Here, we report a rare case of a 59-year-old male with an intellectual disability and psychiatric disorder in whom metallic objects in the stomach cavity were accidentally discovered during abdominal CT. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed several metallic objects attached to two magnets, which had been ingested several years before and had remained in the stomach cavity. The magnets and metallic objects were safely removed endoscopically using rat-tooth forceps without complications.

Chronic jejuno-colonic fistula and intestinal malabsorption due to multiple magnet ingestions: A case report and systematic review

“…While some children may remain asymptomatic, others may develop acute abdominal symptoms shortly after ingestion. [5][6][7][8] Intestinal fistulas may form during both acute and chronic phases, especially when multiple magnets are ingested. Research shows that mucosal damage from ingesting multiple magnets can occur within eight hours; however, detailed timelines for fistula formation are underdocumented.…”