Magnet-Assisted Transanal Removal of a Rectal Foreign Body in a Child: A Case Report

Management of rectal foreign bodies, uncommon in children, aims to achieve safe, minimally invasive removal while avoiding anesthesia or surgery whenever possible. We report a rare pediatric case of a rectal foreign body successfully removed using a magnet-assisted transanal technique. To our knowledge, this technique has not been previously reported in pediatric patients. A 10-year-old girl with a developmental disability inserted an AAA battery into her rectum. She was asymptomatic on arrival. Pelvic radiography revealed a single cylindrical rectal foreign body. Considering the object type, short duration, and absence of perforation signs, transanal removal was planned. Manual grasping, endoscopic removal, and neuraxial or general anesthesia were considered difficult or overly invasive, so a magnet-assisted technique was devised. A magnet placed between the double-layered gloves of the examiner's index finger was gently advanced transanally, allowing atraumatic extraction. Magnet-assisted transanal extraction is a simple and minimally invasive option for removing metallic rectal foreign bodies that respond to magnetic attraction. Further investigations are warranted to establish its safety and indications.