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Published on: September 11, 2018
Multiple magnetic foreign body ingestion in pediatric patients: a single-center retrospective review
Xiaozhong Huang1, Jun Hu1, Zhaobo Xia1
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 109# Wenzhou Xueyuan West Road, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China.
Insights
Ingesting multiple magnetic foreign bodies (FBs) in children can cause severe intestinal injury. Prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention are crucial for managing these pediatric cases and preventing complications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common pediatric emergency.
- Multiple magnetic FBs pose unique risks due to internal attraction, potentially causing severe gastrointestinal injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify clinical features associated with pediatric ingestion of multiple magnetic FBs.
- To evaluate management strategies and outcomes for these cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 35 pediatric patients with diagnosed multiple magnetic FB ingestion.
- Analysis of clinical manifestations, treatment approaches, and surgical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever were primary symptoms.
- 82.9% of patients required surgical intervention, predominantly exploratory laparotomy.
- Successful perforation repair and FB removal led to restored intestinal function without complications.
Conclusions:
- Multiple magnetic FB ingestion can result in serious complications including intestinal perforation, strangulation, and necrosis.
- Timely diagnosis and effective management are critical to minimize morbidity in pediatric patients.
Objective:
Foreign body (FB) ingestion is increasingly common in children, and ingestion of multiple magnetic FBs can cause serious injuries. This study aimed to identify the clinical features and management options of such cases.
Methods:
A retrospective review was conducted of 35 pediatric patients diagnosed as having ingested multiple magnetic FBs.
Results:
The main clinical manifestations were abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever. Of the 35 patients, 6 (17.1%) were conservatively treated and the remaining 29 (82.9%) were surgically treated. Of those who were surgically treated, 26 underwent exploratory laparotomy and 3 underwent laparoscopic surgery that was switched to open surgery. Intestinal structure and function were restored without complications in patients who underwent successful perforation repair following removal of multiple magnetic FBs.
Conclusions:
Ingestion of multiple magnetic FBs can lead to intestinal perforations, bowel strangulation, and necrosis. Accordingly, timely diagnosis and effective management of multiple magnetic FB ingestions in pediatric patients are of paramount importance to reduce further complications.
