Teenage Boy Requires Emergency Surgery After Swallowing 100 High-Powered Magnets: A Medical Warning

Medical professionals have issued severe warnings about the dangers of ingesting magnetic toys following a concerning incident.

A 13-year-old New Zealand teenager underwent emergency surgery after ingesting approximately 100 small, high-powered magnets. According to medical documentation, the young patient presented at Tauranga Hospital suffering from abdominal discomfort and initially confessed to consuming around 100 neodymium magnets one week prior. Subsequent diagnostic imaging revealed the quantity was substantially higher than first reported.

Radiographic examination identified four distinct chains of magnets distributed throughout various sections of his digestive tract. Once inside the body, these magnets attracted each other through different portions of his intestines, restricting blood circulation and resulting in pressure necrosis—regions where tissue deteriorates due to oxygen deprivation.

During the surgical intervention, medical staff located magnet chains in both the small intestine and caecum, necessitating partial bowel resection of the compromised sections. Fortunately, the adolescent experienced a positive recovery and was released from medical care eight days following the procedure.

Healthcare professionals emphasize that such occurrences can be potentially fatal and strongly advise parents to keep magnetic toys inaccessible to children, particularly powerful neodymium magnets which can cause significant internal injuries. This case was documented in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

"This case study clearly demonstrates that ingesting small high-powered magnets presents a life-threatening risk," states Alex Sims, a commercial law researcher from the University of Auckland. "Small high-power magnets have been marketed and distributed as recreational items for both adults and children when sold in sets, as they can be manipulated into various formations and utilized as fidget devices. Unfortunately, they frequently appear as vibrantly colored small spheres, making them appealing for children to ingest."

The medical report did not specify the teenager's motivation for swallowing the magnets. However, New Zealand health authorities have recently highlighted a concerning social media trend where young people use small magnets to simulate tongue, nose, or lip piercings. These magnets can be inadvertently swallowed, posing serious health hazards.