While the body usually passes a swallowed foreign object without serious issues, swallowing magnets presents a unique and urgent medical threat. The danger dramatically increases when two or more magnets are ingested, or a magnet is swallowed along with another metallic object. Unlike most foreign bodies, magnets can separate inside the gastrointestinal tract and then attract each other with enough force to injure the tissue in between. This attraction causes severe, sometimes life-threatening complications that require immediate medical intervention.
The Mechanism of Internal Injury
The primary danger of ingested magnets lies in their powerful attractive force across the walls of the stomach or intestines. High-powered, rare-earth magnets, such as those made from neodymium, possess a strong-to-size ratio, often having an attractive strength 5 to 30 times greater than conventional magnets. If multiple magnets separate in the digestive tract, they can become lodged in different loops of the small intestine or colon.
The magnetic force pulls these separate loops together, trapping the soft gastrointestinal tissue between them. This continuous pressure cuts off the blood supply to the pinched tissue, causing ischemia. The lack of blood flow quickly leads to tissue death, or pressure necrosis, which can begin within hours of ingestion.
Once the tissue becomes necrotic, a perforation can form in the intestinal wall. This allows the contaminated contents of the bowel to leak into the abdominal cavity, causing a severe infection called peritonitis. Sustained magnetic attraction can also lead to the formation of a fistula, an abnormal connection between two parts of the intestine or other organs. These complications often require major surgical intervention due to the extensive damage they cause.
Recognizing Symptoms After Ingestion
The initial signs of magnet ingestion can be vague, often mimicking common illnesses like a stomach virus, which can delay diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms may not appear immediately, sometimes taking 8 to 24 hours to develop. The most common complaints include non-specific abdominal pain and intermittent vomiting.
A person may also experience a distended abdomen, reduced appetite, or a fever, which can signal that a serious infection or perforation has begun. In severe cases, the vomit may be green (indicating bile) or resemble coffee grounds (suggesting blood). Because these symptoms are not unique to magnet ingestion, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately if there is any suspicion that magnets have been swallowed.
Emergency Treatment and Removal Procedures
If magnet ingestion is known or suspected, the immediate action should be to call emergency services or a poison control center for guidance. Do not attempt to induce vomiting or give the person anything by mouth, as this may complicate later procedures. Quick assessment in an emergency department is necessary, even if the person has no apparent symptoms.
A medical team will immediately obtain X-rays to confirm the presence, count the number, and determine the location of the magnets in the digestive tract. The treatment protocol depends heavily on the number of magnets and their location. If only a single magnet was swallowed without any other metal object, doctors may manage the case conservatively with observation and serial X-rays to ensure it passes uneventfully.
The ingestion of multiple magnets is considered a medical emergency due to the high risk of intestinal perforation, which can be up to 50%. If multiple magnets are accessible in the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus or stomach), immediate endoscopic removal is attempted.
Endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure where a flexible tube with a camera and tools is passed down the throat to retrieve the magnets. If the magnets have passed beyond the stomach into the intestines, or if perforation is suspected, surgical intervention becomes necessary. This may involve a minimally invasive laparoscopy or an open surgical procedure (laparotomy) to remove the magnets and repair any damaged bowel tissue. Time is a factor, as delaying intervention increases the likelihood of complications such as tissue damage and infection, making a successful, less invasive removal window narrow.