An unusual case of stomach ache
A 4-year-old boy complained of stomach ache but the parents were reportedly unaware as to what was the cause and were shocked when the scans revealed an unusual object lodged in his bowels.
Doctors found that the little one had a magnetic bracelet trapped inside him. The finding was reported in a medical journal called Journal of Paediatric Surgery Case Reports.
Initial symptoms
The child was suffering from an aching tummy, vomiting and constipation for two days and then his parents took him to a hospital. The doctors initially suspected it to be acute appendicitis and even removed his appendix.
Finding magnetic beads that damaged his bowels
"The abdominal pain persisted post appendectomy. This was later associated with bilious vomiting which started on the 3rd post operative day," the study said. The doctors carried out scans to figure out what was wrong. The astonishing results revealed an object "forming the shape of a bracelet" on his insides. "Parents could not give any history of foreign body ingestion,” the study said.
Doctors believe the boy had swallowed each bead separately over "an unknown duration" and then due to their magnetic properties, the beads stuck together inside in the formation of a bracelet. The magnetic beads had blocked the boy's intestines and even dug holes into his bowels.
Surgery and recovery
“A diagnosis of intestinal obstruction due to impacted ingested foreign body was made and he had urgent laparotomy," the study added.
The laparotomy involved cutting into the boy's abdomen to remove the 18 hexagonal beads. The expert surgeons then repaired the damage caused to his bowels.
The boy was discharged from the hospital six days after his operation. A six-month check-up found he had recovered well.
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"A common problem worldwide"
Scientists said that the case was not the first and that young children ingesting magnetic beads was "a common problem worldwide".
"The metallic taste of a magnetic bead may form the attraction which encourages the child to keep licking the objects and swallowing multiple magnets," the authors wrote, adding that the problem is "increasing worldwide" with the "majority" of cases being seen in children under the age of four.