Once swallowed, strong magnets entail risks for intestinal obstruction and the death of the intestinal wall.
LEIPZIG, GERMANY — Children frequently ingest small magnets from magnetic construction kits, board games, 3D puzzles, figurines, or doll clothing. The consequences can be fatal, warned Felicitas Eckoldt, MD, director of the pediatric surgery clinic at the University Hospital Jena in Jena, Germany."Swallowing multiple magnets or swallowing a magnet and a metal part is extremely dangerous," Eckoldt said at a press conference during the 141st Congress of the German Society of Surgery.
The magnetic attraction creates high pressure. The intestinal walls can thus be pressed so tightly together that it leads not only to intestinal obstruction but also to the death of the intestinal wall. Holes and fistulas can form, resulting in peritonitis, sepsis, and even death of a child despite emergency surgery.
Between 2016 and 2020, 251 children were admitted to four of the largest hospitals in the southeast of England because of swallowed foreign bodies. Besides magnets, coins and mini batteries were also swallowed frequently. Overall, the number of swallowed objects increased by more than half between 2016 and 2020; for magnets, it increased fivefold.
The researchers found 189 magnet ingestions, of which 88 were multiple magnet ingestions. Most patients were boys, with a mean age of 3.9 years. An abdominal x-ray was obtained in all cases. "A high risk of serious complications, including the need for surgery to remove the magnets and substantial morbidity, may result from swallowing more than one magnet," the study authors wrote."Magnet safety requirements, public education, and improved legislation are urgently required."In 2022 and 2023, the EU Commission conducted a detailed examination of toys with magnets and established standards. CE marking indicates that manufacturers have tested their own products.
Children Child Childhood Pediatrics Kids Foreign Body Removal From Gastrointestinal Tract Foreign Body Removal From The Gastrointestinal Tr GI Foreign Body Removal Intestinal Fistula Intestinal Perforation Intestinal Surgery Gastrointestinal Surgery GI Surgery Hospitals Surgery Abdominal Radiography Abdominal X-Ray Abdominal Xray Sepsis Bloodstream Infections
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Feasibility of functional precision medicine for guiding treatment of relapsed or refractory pediatric cancersChildren with rare, relapsed or refractory cancers often face limited treatment options, and few predictive biomarkers are available that can enable personalized treatment recommendations.
Read more »
Pediatric Celiac Disease Diagnosis in Italy Shows Varied Diagnostic DelaysYounger Italian kids or those with family celiac history get quicker diagnoses; others with vague symptoms face delays.
Read more »
'We created this problem:' a pediatric surgeon on how gun violence affects childrenMikael Petrosyan of Children's National Hospital says gun violence against children is preventable.
Read more »
'We created this problem': a pediatric surgeon on how gun violence affects childrenMikael Petrosyan of Children's National Hospital says gun violence against children is preventable.
Read more »
Canadian Pediatric Society Issues Guidance on CannabisExperts recommend open, evidence-based discussions about medical cannabis with families and call for more research.
Read more »
Transformative Changes for Pediatric Health CareHear from Stanford Medicine Children's Health CEO Paul King as he delves into transformative pediatric cancer and health care innovations.
Read more »