Magnet ingestion in children and teenagers: An emerging health concern for pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists

摘要

We provided care to a 10-year-old girl who had placed 2 Buckyballs magnets in her mouth as a makeshift tongue ring, and accidentally swallowed both magnets. An emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed that the magnets had passed beyond the duodenum. After 48 hours of conservative management, the magnets appeared to remain in a static position in the right lower quadrant. A limited noncontrast computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed both magnets attached to each other in the appendix. A diagnostic laparotomy was performed and under direct visualization, the magnets were manipulated into the appendix and retrieved via an appendectomy (Fig. 1). Her postoperative course was uneventful. After discharge from the hospital, this case received wide media coverage and was published on the front page of The Washington Post (1). During the same time, 2 other preteens were hospitalized at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children with similar complaints. Both of them passed the objects spontaneously.