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Fatal bowel perforation caused by ingestion of high-powered magnets in a 6-year-old boy

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Abstract

Foreign body ingestion in children is a frequent cause for medical consultation. Although most foreign bodies are spontaneously eliminated from the gastrointestinal tract, life-threatening complications such as gastrointestinal obstruction or perforation can occur. We report the case of a 6-year-old boy who died 2 days after the onset of nausea and abdominal pain, with no foreign body ingestion witnessed or reported in the previous days. Autopsy showed a diffuse peritonitis and a perforation of the transverse colon caused by three high-powered magnets stacked together, and attached to the outer stomach wall via a fourth magnet located in the stomach. The cause of death was peritonitis due to bowel perforation by ingested magnets, which were shown to have come from a toy belonging to the child. Ingestion of multiple high-powered magnets carries a high risk of gastrointestinal complications and can exceptionally have a fatal outcome, especially as it often goes unreported and causes non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms that can delay diagnosis and management. This case highlights the need to raise public awareness of the potential risks of ingesting such magnets and to strengthen safety standards to protect children from this serious health hazard.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Médecine Légale, CHU Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Pierre-Antoine Peyron, Claire Villard & Eric Baccino

  2. EDPFM, UR-UM212, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Eric Baccino

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  1. Pierre-Antoine Peyron
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  2. Claire Villard
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  3. Eric Baccino
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Correspondence to Pierre-Antoine Peyron.

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Peyron, PA., Villard, C. & Baccino, E. Fatal bowel perforation caused by ingestion of high-powered magnets in a 6-year-old boy. Int J Legal Med (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-024-03188-1

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