6-year-old boy suffered intestinal perforation after swallowing 4 magnets

On the afternoon of August 18, Soc Trang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital announced that it had successfully removed four magnets from the abdomen of a 6-year-old child.

Previously, Soc Trang Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital admitted a baby boy named HTL (born in 2016, residing in Tai Van commune, Can Tho city) with severe pain in the right iliac fossa, signs of infection. Through medical history, before being admitted to the hospital, the family discovered that the baby complained of abdominal pain and said that he had swallowed some foreign objects at an unspecified time. Initially, the pain appeared slowly, then gradually increased, causing the baby to cry a lot and have a fever, so the family took him to the hospital.

At the General Emergency Department, after taking an abdominal X-ray with contrast, a string-shaped foreign body was found in the abdominal area around the navel and right iliac fossa. The doctors held an interdisciplinary consultation and agreed to perform emergency laparoscopic surgery.

Four magnets were removed from the child's body by doctors.

During the surgery, it was discovered that 4 magnets were stuck together, causing intestinal obstruction, causing 2 holes in the intestines in 2 different locations. The doctors successfully removed the foreign object, sutured the holes, cleaned the abdomen, and drained the intestines. The baby's health is currently stable and is being monitored further.

L.'s health is now stable.

According to Dr. Chung Tan Dinh, Director of Soc Trang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, swallowing foreign objects is a common accident in young children, due to their curiosity and love of exploring the world around them. Every year, the hospital receives many children hospitalized due to swallowing foreign objects or choking on foreign objects such as toys, buttons, coins... However, cases of swallowing magnetic toys like the above case are especially rare and dangerous...

Source: https://cand.com.vn/y-te/be-trai-6-tuoi-thung-ruot-do-nuot-4-cuc-nam-cham-i778484/