A 13-year-old boy from New Zealand had part of his bowel surgically removed after ingesting nearly 200 high-powered magnets, which are up to 50 times stronger than typical ferrous ones. The incident occurred when the boy swallowed possibly 100 neodymium magnets roughly a week prior and ended with four chains of small metal objects coming together in his abdomen, causing tissue death due to pressure necrosis.
The surgeon removed part of the boy’s bowel to prevent further damage, and he recovered well within eight days. This case highlights the life-threatening risks associated with ingesting high-powered magnets, which are often marketed as fun toys for adults and children.
New Zealand government officials have permanently banned the sale of rare earth magnets in 2013, but enforcing this ban remains a challenge, especially on overseas online marketplaces like Temu. The Commerce Commission faces difficulties in investigating and forcing these websites to stop selling small high-powered magnets.
Parents are advised to monitor their children’s online purchases closely and ensure that all transactions are supervised. A recent case shows that even when parents are vigilant, mistakes can happen, resulting in emergency surgeries due to the strong magnetic pull causing injuries to internal organs.
If a young person is suspected of having swallowed a magnet, it is essential to seek medical attention immediately, as more than 75 percent of patients will require surgery or an endoscopy.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/new-zealand-teen-loses-part-of-his-bowel-after-swallowing-nearly-200-magnets