Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report

Introduction. Magnetic foreign bodies are harmless when ingested as a single object. However, if numerous of individual magnets are ingested at certain intervals, one after the other, they may attract each other through the bowel wall and cause severe bowel damage. Case report. We re-ported a case o...

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Main Authors: Doklestić Krstina, Lončar Zlatibor, Jovanović Bojan, Veličković Jelena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade 2017-01-01
Series:Vojnosanitetski Pregled
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2017/0042-84501600299D.pdf
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author Doklestić Krstina
Lončar Zlatibor
Jovanović Bojan
Veličković Jelena
author_facet Doklestić Krstina
Lončar Zlatibor
Jovanović Bojan
Veličković Jelena
author_sort Doklestić Krstina
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Magnetic foreign bodies are harmless when ingested as a single object. However, if numerous of individual magnets are ingested at certain intervals, one after the other, they may attract each other through the bowel wall and cause severe bowel damage. Case report. We re-ported a case of a man, age 21, who swallowed 2 very small magnets, presented with clinical and radiographic signs of acute bowel obstruction and intestinal fistula. The cause of obstruction was detected during laparotomy. At laparotomy, one magnet was found in the proximal jejunum and the other in the distal ileum, strongly attracting each other followed by small bowel twisting around this point of rotation, causing a complete small bowel obstruction with strangulation and jejuno-ileal fistula. The intestinal segments were devolvulated and both intestine perforations were primarily sutured. The patient recovered successfully after the surgery and was discharged 5 days after the laparotomy. Conclusion. Patients who ingested magnetic objects must be seriously considered and emergency laparotomy should be performed to prevent serious gastrointestinal complications.
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institution OA Journals
issn 0042-8450
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language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, Belgrade
record_format Article
series Vojnosanitetski Pregled
spelling doaj-art-4b5d29880a7b41a8a5940c1793cfac492025-08-20T02:17:48ZengMinistry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, University of Defence, BelgradeVojnosanitetski Pregled0042-84502406-07202017-01-0174111094109710.2298/VSP160214299D0042-84501600299DMagnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case reportDoklestić Krstina0Lončar Zlatibor1Jovanović Bojan2Veličković Jelena3Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Emergency Surgery, Belgrade + Faculty of Medicine, BelgradeClinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Emergency Surgery, Belgrade + Faculty of Medicine, BelgradeFaculty of Medicine, Belgrade + Clinical Center of Serbia, Department for Anaesthesiology, BelgradeFaculty of Medicine, Belgrade + Clinical Center of Serbia, Department for Anaesthesiology, BelgradeIntroduction. Magnetic foreign bodies are harmless when ingested as a single object. However, if numerous of individual magnets are ingested at certain intervals, one after the other, they may attract each other through the bowel wall and cause severe bowel damage. Case report. We re-ported a case of a man, age 21, who swallowed 2 very small magnets, presented with clinical and radiographic signs of acute bowel obstruction and intestinal fistula. The cause of obstruction was detected during laparotomy. At laparotomy, one magnet was found in the proximal jejunum and the other in the distal ileum, strongly attracting each other followed by small bowel twisting around this point of rotation, causing a complete small bowel obstruction with strangulation and jejuno-ileal fistula. The intestinal segments were devolvulated and both intestine perforations were primarily sutured. The patient recovered successfully after the surgery and was discharged 5 days after the laparotomy. Conclusion. Patients who ingested magnetic objects must be seriously considered and emergency laparotomy should be performed to prevent serious gastrointestinal complications.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2017/0042-84501600299D.pdfforeign bodiesmagneticsintestinal obstructiondigestive system surgical procedures
spellingShingle Doklestić Krstina
Lončar Zlatibor
Jovanović Bojan
Veličković Jelena
Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
Vojnosanitetski Pregled
foreign bodies
magnetics
intestinal obstruction
digestive system surgical procedures
title Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
title_full Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
title_fullStr Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
title_full_unstemmed Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
title_short Magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults: A case report
title_sort magnets ingestion as a rare cause of ileus in adults a case report
topic foreign bodies
magnetics
intestinal obstruction
digestive system surgical procedures
url http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0042-8450/2017/0042-84501600299D.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT doklestickrstina magnetsingestionasararecauseofileusinadultsacasereport
AT loncarzlatibor magnetsingestionasararecauseofileusinadultsacasereport
AT jovanovicbojan magnetsingestionasararecauseofileusinadultsacasereport
AT velickovicjelena magnetsingestionasararecauseofileusinadultsacasereport