Surgeons in the Almaty Region performed emergency operations on two brothers, aged seven and four, who swallowed magnets while playing at home. Both children were taken to the Almaty Regional Children's Clinical Hospital with complaints of abdominal pain and restlessness, the website infohub.kz reports.
Examinations showed that foreign objects had entered the gastrointestinal tracts of both children. Doctors decided on emergency hospitalization and surgery.
"In the younger child, the foreign objects were found in the stomach and various sections of the small intestine. Although the magnets were some distance apart, they attracted each other and compressed the intestinal walls. Experienced specialists removed 15 magnets from the child's stomach and found another 14 in the small intestine. A total of 29 magnets were removed from the child's body. In the older child, three magnets stuck together were found in the large intestine. Doctors performed laparoscopic surgery and, using a special surgical technique, moved the magnets to the area of the cecum, from where they were then removed," the statement said.
According to Askar Kanazov, a surgeon at the Almaty Regional Children's Clinical Hospital, the children accidentally swallowed the magnets while playing at home. Fortunately, the parents called an ambulance promptly and sought medical help.
"Swallowing several magnets poses a serious threat to a child's health. Even if the magnets are in different sections of the intestine, they can attract each other and compress its walls. As a result, blood circulation is impaired and intestinal tissue is damaged, up to and including perforation. Delay in such a situation can lead to severe consequences. That is why it is extremely important to seek medical help promptly. The children were admitted to the hospital about five hours after swallowing the magnets. Thanks to timely hospitalization and the coordinated work of medical specialists, we were able to prevent dangerous complications," the surgeon noted.
Doctors urge parents to keep a closer watch on what objects young children play with. Magnetic construction sets, small toys and individual magnetic parts should be kept where children cannot reach them.
Doctors also warn that after swallowing a magnet, a child may feel fine at first. However, pain and bloating, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, restlessness, fever and bowel disturbances may appear later.
If parents suspect that a child has swallowed a magnet, they must seek medical help immediately. Even the absence of symptoms does not mean there is no danger. Waiting at home for the condition to worsen is not an option.