A Case of Magnet Ingestion in a Child with Autism: Gastro-Colonoscopic Removal without Surgical Complication

Joo Whee Kim; Mi Sun Lim; Soon Chul Kim; Eun Hye Lee; Jae Sung Ko; Jeong Kee Seo

doi:10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.3.299

Journal List > Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr > v.14(3) > 1043516

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Kim, Lim, Kim, Lee, Ko, and Seo: A Case of Magnet Ingestion in a Child with Autism: Gastro-Colonoscopic Removal without Surgical Complication

Case Report

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2011; 14(3): 299-304.

Published online: 30 September 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.3.299

A Case of Magnet Ingestion in a Child with Autism: Gastro-Colonoscopic Removal without Surgical Complication

Joo Whee Kim, M.D., Mi Sun Lim, M.D., Soon Chul Kim, M.D., Eun Hye Lee, M.D., Jae Sung Ko, M.D., Jeong Kee Seo, M.D.

Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Corresponding author (jkseo@snu.ac.kr)

Received 19 August 2011 Revised 31 August 2011 Accepted 6 September 2011

Abstract

With the increasing use of magnets in toys, magnet ingestion is becoming a serious problem in children. Two or more magnets may attract across the gastrointestinal tract leading to pressure necrosis, perforation, fistula, volvulus or obstruction. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy with autism who presented with vomiting during seven days due to ingestion of 14 magnetic rods. Under general anesthesia, 5 of 14 magnets were removed from the second portion of the duodenum using a magnetic probe during endoscopy. The remaining magnets were not visible in the duodenum. A plain radiograph taken the next day revealed that the remaining magnets were impacted in the descending-sigmoid junction. One magnet passed spontaneously. However the other 8 magnets did not pass through the junction for 7 days. Five of 8 impacted magnets were removed by a colonoscopic procedure. After 2 hours of colonoscopy, one by one, the remaining three magnets spontaneously passed.

Keywords: Foreign body, Removal, Gastrointestinal endoscopy, Magnet, Children, Colonoscopy

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Serial plain radiographs of the abdomen demonstrate foreign bodies. Five magnetic rods were found in the 2nd portion of the duodenum and removed by endoscopy performed on the 6th of August. After ten days, colonoscopy was performed and 5 of the remaining magnets were successfully removed; they were linearly stuck to each other and firmly impacted in the descending sigmoid junction.

Fig. 2

Magnetic probe and attached magnetic rods are seen on endoscopic findings (A) and photography (B).

Fig. 3

There was a colonoscopic finding of impacted magnets in the descending colon (A). The remaining three magnets spontaneously passed through (B).

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