A Child With a Gastrocolic Fistula After Ingesting Magnets: An Unusual Complication

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is frequently the cause of emergency visits in the pediatric population, and these cases are challenging to diagnose and manage. In particular, the ingestion of magnets is dangerous and can lead to serious complications and even death. Urgent endoscopic intervention or surgical exploration remains the best approach for removing multiple ingested magnets and preventing further injury to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We report a nine-year-old child with an adjustment disorder who developed a gastrocolic fistula following the deliberate ingestion of multiple magnets. The magnets were successfully retrieved after an emergency laparotomy, and the fistula was subsequently repaired.