[One magnet is better than two].
Accidental foreign body ingestion by children is not exceptional and occurs in most cases in children less than 5 years old. The impact is not well known. We present the case of a 31-month-old boy affected by peritonitis caused by several bowel perforations after swallowing three magnets at different times. A single foreign body magnetic ingestion does not often cause trouble, but if the ingestions are spaced out, then consequential complications can occur. This is why, in case of stomachaches in a child less than 3 years or a child with behavior problems, it is important to perform standard abdominal X-ray examination.
Clinique des urgences pédiatriques, clinique de pédiatrie, CHU de Grenoble, BP 217, 38000 Grenoble cedex 09, France. M.Chevallier3@chu-grenoble.fr
M
M
Chevallier
C
C
Barbier
C
C
Jacquier
R
R
Somrani
M
M
Sangenis
A
A
Gayot
I
I
Wroblewski
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D059346:Magnets / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology