Physical Bases, Indications, and Results of the Use of Magnets in Digestive Surgery: A Narrative Review

The use of magnetic devices in digestive surgery has been a matter of debate in recent years. The aim of this review was to describe the physical bases, indications, and results of the use of magnets in digestive surgery. A review of the literature was performed using Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SciELO databases considering as inclusion criteria all articles published since 2007 to date, describing the physical basis of magnetic assisted surgery and those that describe the surgical procedure, including case reports, as well as, articles on humans and experimental animals. Sixty-four studies were included, 15 detailing aspects on the physical basis and 49 about indications and results. Magnets are currently used to perform fixed traction, mobilizing structures, and anastomosis in humans and experimental animals. The use of magnets in digestive surgery has shown good results, and no complications arising from their use have been reported. However, more prospective and randomized studies that compare magnetic surgery and conventional techniques are needed.