Magnets, children and the bowel: A dangerous attraction?

Figure 2 If multiple magnet ingestion is suspected, the entire gastrointestinal tract remains at risk of perforation even if the child is asymptomatic. A: Asymptomatic 18-mo-old child 96 h after ingestion of magnet; B: Silent gastro-jejeno-colic fistula at laparotomy; C: Ten strongly attracted magnetic balls lying across the fistula.