The аsymptomatic course of the complication caused by multiple magnetic foreign bodies in the intestine of a child: case report

BACKGROUND: Magnetic foreign bodies of the gastrointestinal tract are not uncommon in children. A feature of the magnetic foreign bodies of the intestine is their tendency to stick together with each other, thus causing intestinal perforation, intestinal fistulas or obstruction. Sometimes serious complications can be asymptomatic which can lead to late diagnostics.

CLINICAL CASE DESCRIPTION: In the article, the authors present a case of an accidental detection of intestinal magnetic foreign bodies during X-ray examination of a 3-year-old child without any clinical symptoms in the form of a chain in the projection of the mesogastrium. Duration of these magnets’ location in the intestine is unknown; child’s condition was satisfactory. During surgery, pathological anastomoses between intestinal loops without signs of peritonitis were found. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the child was discharged in the recovering state. A median laparotomy was performed, and foreign bodies were removed from the child — round multicolored magnetic balls 0.3 cm in diameter, interlocked, in an amount of 34 pieces.

CONCLUSION: The absence of specific clinical symptoms prevented the timely diagnostics of pathologically formed interintestinal anastomoses. The presented clinical case describes a serious complication caused by multiple magnetic foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract in a child.