Doctors at Burjeel Specialty Hospital in Sharjah successfully removed 17 magnets from the stomach of a two-year-old boy, referred to as baby AH, who had accidentally swallowed them. The complex procedure involved both endoscopy and surgery.
According to a Khaleej Times report, the incident came to light last week when the boy was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of nausea and an inability to eat for three days. His parents, unaware of the exact time of ingestion, estimated that at least 72 hours had passed since the incident.
Dr. Mehreen Zaman, specialist gastroenterologist, led the medical team in the delicate extraction process.
An abdominal X-ray revealed the magnets stacked in the child’s stomach, causing severe discomfort and preventing normal bowel movements for 48 hours. Dr. Zaman explained, “Endoscopy was done under general anaesthesia to remove the magnets. The magnetic power was so strong, holding all the pieces together, and it was difficult to separate them. But all magnets were removed one by one, and the toddler has been discharged and is now fine.”
Thirteen magnets were retrieved through endoscopy, while the remaining four required a surgical procedure due to their position in the distal intestine. Dr. Mohamed El Sayed Eraki Ibrahium and Dr. Saima Asrar performed a laparotomy to safely remove the final four magnets.
Dr. Zaman emphasized the challenge of the procedure, stating, “It was very difficult to remove magnets endoscopically because of the sheer magnetic force of the pieces stacked together, making it difficult to separate and overcome magnetic forces.”
