Korean J Gastroenterol.  2023 Oct;82(4):198-201. 10.4166/kjg.2023.087.

A Gastric Magnetic Foreign Body Incidentally Detected Several Years after Ingestion

• Joo DC
• Lee MW
• Hong SM
• Baek DH
• Lee BE
• Kim GH
• Song GA

• KMID: 2547291
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2023.087

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is commonly seen in children. However, occasionally it may also be seen among adults and is often associated with intellectual disability, psychiatric disorders, and alcoholism. Ingestion of a magnetic foreign body may cause complications such as gastrointestinal tract perforation, wherein emergency endoscopic removal of the foreign body is generally required. Here, we report a rare case of a 59-year-old male with an intellectual disability and psychiatric disorder in whom metallic objects in the stomach cavity were accidentally discovered during abdominal CT. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed several metallic objects attached to two magnets, which had been ingested several years before and had remained in the stomach cavity. The magnets and metallic objects were safely removed endoscopically using rat-tooth forceps without complications.

Keyword

Foreign body; Magnet; Stomach; Endoscopy

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Plain abdominal X-rays show a metallic mass in the stomach.

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  Fig. 2 Metallic mass found in the gastric cavity during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). (A) The metallic mass shows a clearly visible screw, along with food material. (B) Removal of the larger metal pieces was performed with rat-tooth forceps. (C) The remaining small metal pieces were removed together using a net.

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  Fig. 3 Individual pieces of the metallic mass. After endoscopic foreign body removal, we found (A) several metal pieces and 2 magnets. (B) These metallic objects were agglomerated around the two magnets in the stomach cavity in a conformation similar to that shown.

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