Doctors use strong magnet to rescue toddler who swallowed 31 magnetic beads

A team of surgeons from Tomsk in Siberia used a powerful magnet to pull a long chain of magnetic beads out of the boy’s stomach. 

The 3 year old complained about severe stomach ache, and doctors said parents arrived to the emergency hospital just in time. 

One of the beads has already gone into his bowel and in several hours would have been pulled towards the rest of the beads in the stomach, likely leading to perforation of both organs’ walls, and causing peritonitis. 

Doctors of number 2 Tomsk ambulance hospital called for a ban on magnetic toys, flagging their danger and saying they see increase of cases with even teenagers swallowing colourful, shiny and bright neodymium balls.

There were more than 10 cases in the last four years, with one involving 12 year child swallowing 87 magnetic balls. 

‘These type of surgeries are incredibly hard. Very often children swallow several dozen of magnets. Once they get stuck together through an intestinal wall, they won’t disconnect by themselves’, said Andrey Karavayev, chief doctor of Tomsk ambulance hospital no.2. 

‘Children’s stomachs and bowels look like they were shot with multiple bullets. As a doctor who daily sees consequences of swallowing of such toys I would have banned them altogether.’

Tomsk regional health ministry has also issues a warning to families when buying toys made of magnetic beads or balls. 

The child has been discharged from the hospital in satisfactory state.