MMWR Weekly 8th December 2006
“Gastrointestinal Injuries from Magnet Ingestion in Children — United States, 2003–2006”
“Gastrointestinal Injuries from Magnet Ingestion in Children — United States, 2003–2006”
Three cases of injury after swallowing magnets included as part of children’s toys. Autopsy in one case showed that two groups of magnets had joined across two loops of intestine, restricting blood supply to the tissues leading to sepsis. Surgery in another case found a magnet to have perforated the end of the small intestine.
The editor [working for Center for Disease Control (CDC)] recommends that caregivers should keep products with magnets out of environments where children aged <6 years are playing and be aware of the unique risks if ingested.