Research Article: Clinical features and surgical treatment of magnetic bead ingestion in children: a single-center retrospective study
Abstract:
To summarize the clinical features, complications, radiological characteristics, surgical management, and prognosis of magnetic bead ingestion (MBI) in children, and to propose a treatment-modality algorithm focused on selecting among endoscopic, laparoscopic, open, and combined surgical approaches.
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 24 pediatric MBI cases treated at the Capital Center for Children's Health, Capital Medical University, from January 2020 to October 2025. Data on demographics, ingestion details, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging findings, surgical procedures, intraoperative findings, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.
The cohort comprised 15 boys and 9 girls (median age, 5.5 years; range, 1 year 1 month–11 years). Abdominal pain was the most common symptom (12 cases, 50.0%), followed by vomiting (9 cases, 37.5%); 10 children (41.7%) were asymptomatic. Among 14 children with intestinal perforation, elevated white blood cell count was observed in 8 (57.1%), elevated neutrophil percentage in 8 (57.1%), and elevated C-reactive protein in 6 (42.9%); notably, two perforation cases had all three markers within normal limits. Complications included intestinal adhesions (11 cases), perforation (14 cases), obstruction (3 cases), and necrosis (3 cases). Upright abdominal X-ray was the primary diagnostic modality (17 cases, 70.8%), followed by CT (4 cases, 16.7%) and ultrasound (2 cases, 8.3%). Eighteen children (75%) underwent surgery: laparoscopic exploration converted to open surgery (8 cases, 44.4%), converted to open surgery combined with gastroscopy (1 cases, 5.6%), completely laparoscopic surgery (5 cases, 27.8%), laparoscopic combined with gastroscopy (2 cases, 11.1%), and direct open surgery (2 cases, 11.1%); the remaining 6 cases experienced spontaneous bead expulsion.
Magnetic bead ingestion in children can easily lead to severe intestinal injury. Clinical interventions should be individualized based on the location and number of foreign bodies as well as the presence of complications. Laparoscopic exploration is an important diagnostic and minimally invasive treatment approach, allowing flexible intraoperative decisions regarding conversion to open surgery or combination with endoscopy based on the actual situation. For children requiring surgical treatment, early intervention is key to improving prognosis.
Introduction:
Children are naturally active and curious, making foreign body ingestion a common occurrence among them ( 1 ). Among such cases, magnetic beads—strongly magnetic toy components—have drawn increasing attention due to their potential to cause severe gastrointestinal injury after ingestion. When multiple magnetic beads are swallowed, they can attract one another across intestinal loops, trapping the intestinal wall between them and leading to ischemia, necrosis, or even perforation. This may result in intestinal…
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