Citation

Liu S, de Blacam C, Lim FY, Mattei P, Mamula P. J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 2005; 41(5): 670-672.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/01.mpg.0000177703.99786.c9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is a common presentation to general pediatricians and pediatric gastroenterologists. Although specific foreign bodies such as sharp objects or batteries are well-known to cause certain complications, the complications associated with magnetic foreign body ingestions are not as well-known. Most of the published cases regarding magnetic foreign body ingestions are reported in Asian literature, likely because magnets are commonly sold in drugstores in Asian countries as remedies for ailments such as muscle stiffness, and their size and shape make them easy to swallow. In this case, we report a complication of multiple magnet ingestions.

A 7-year-old male with a history of developmental delay and agenesis of the corpus callosum presented to an outside hospital with a 3 day history of fever, dysuria, and foul-smelling urine. Physical examination was significant only for general irritability and suprapubic tenderness. Urinalysis was consistent with a urinary tract infection, and the patient was admitted for pyelonephritis. The patient had persistent irritability despite therapy with intravenous antibiotics, and constipation was suspected. After an enema yielded no results, an abdominal radiograph was obtained. The abdominal film revealed the presence of 10 foreign bodies arranged in tandem. The patient is ambulatory and has a history of pica. The patient's mother recognized the shapes of the foreign bodies as magnetic construction toys ("Supermag" by Plastwood) that had been purchased 4 months earlier. However, because the ingestion was unwitnessed and the patient is nonverbal, the timing of the ingestion could not be ascertained. The patient was transferred...

Keywords: Multiple magnet ingestion

Language: en-us