Clinical characteristics of magnetic foreign body misingestion in children

Abstract

Magnetic foreign body misingestion (MFBM) is now occurring more frequently. It may cause remarkable mortality and morbidity in children. A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of children admitted to Xiamen Children’s Hospital between March 2017 and July 2020 due to accidental MFBM. A total of 14 children who had MFBM were collected, the proportion between urban and rural areas was 8:6, and the ratio of male to female was 6:1. The age ranged from 1.2 to 8.9 years (median 4.6 years). The number of magnetic foreign bodies ingested by mistake is 1 to 17 (average 6.5). Magnetic foreign objects are divided into magnets (3 cases) + magnetic beads (11 cases). About 40% (5/14) of this patient series showed no available misingestion history. Management includes: 4 cases of open surgery (including 1 case of laparoscopic transfer to operation), 3 cases of laparoscopic surgery, 2 cases of gastroscopy, 5 cases of conservative treatment of foreign bodies discharged through the anus. Of the 7 surgical cases, 6 cases presented with intestinal obstruction and intestinal perforation (at least 1 intestinal perforation and at most 5). Abdominal sonography has limitations in the detection of magnetic foreign bodies in the digestive tract. The proportion of laparoscopic surgery in the 7 surgical cases is nearly half. All surgical cases recovered smoothly after treatment. Our experience shows that MFBM is a big issue for the small children! The early symptoms of MFBM are often atypical especially among young children and MFBM may lead to severe adverse events. We proposed a management strategy for MFBM in children. We advise pediatricians/emergency physicians, parents/children’s guardians and society should raise the collaborated alertness of MFBM. Global awareness of risk prevention of magnetic material accidental ingestion cannot be overemphasized.

Surgical treatment of multiple magnet ingestion by children: A single-center experience from China

“… 11 This discrepancy can be attributed, in part, to the vivacious and mischievous disposition often associated with boys. 1 Moreover, it is plausible that divergent approaches to parental guidance between the genders also play a role. 1 Additionally, the constrained sample size within our study could be a contributing factor.…”

“… 1 Moreover, it is plausible that divergent approaches to parental guidance between the genders also play a role. 1 Additionally, the constrained sample size within our study could be a contributing factor. In terms of age distribution, School-age children accounted for the highest proportion in this study.…”

“…Foreign bodies in the digestive tract of children have emerged as a prevalent global issue, ranking high among unintentional injuries. 1 The array of objects unintentionally swallowed encompasses a range of everyday items, including coins, small toys, batteries, and magnets. Managing such incidents requires a multifaceted approach involving conservative treatment, emergency endoscopy, and surgical intervention.…”

A 37-Year-Old Schizophrenic Woman With Abdominal Pain

“…In contrast to the deleterious effects associated with multiple magnetic foreign bodies, a solitary magnetic foreign body is frequently expelled through the natural passage of feces, resulting in a comparatively more favorable outcome. 18 Approximately 80%-90% of ingested foreign bodies undergo spontaneous passage through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, while the proportion of cases necessitating surgical intervention due to severe complications is less than 1%. [19][20][21] The act of ingesting multiple magnets is a relatively prevalent occurrence on a global scale and often results in significant ramifications.…”

Management of multiple magnetic foreign body ingestion in pediatric patients

“…4 ). The two types of surgical methods used are laparotomy and laparoscopy, some researchers recommended laparoscopic removal [ 4 , 12 ], while some researchers believed that open surgery is the first choice [ 13 ], in our opinion, considering the minimally invasive of laparoscopic surgery, laparoscopy should be attempted first; when laparoscopic exploration find that only the small intestine is adsorbed by foreign bodies, the operator can expand the umbilical incision, pull the intestinal tube out of body, remove the foreign bodies and repair the intestine; in addition, if only a few intestinal tubes are sucked by foreign bodies, and there is no obvious intestinal necrosis and adhesion, surgeons can operate in the abdominal cavity to remove foreign bodies and repair intestinal tubes, when the situation is not suitable for laparoscopic operation, surgeons need to convert it to open surgery to avoid further complications. In the present study, there were 31 patients in the laparoscopic group, of which 18 (58%) were converted to open surgery.…”