Innovative Makeshift Technique for Removing Ingested Rare Earth Magnets

Swallowing foreign bodies is common in pediatrics. However, ingestion of rare earth magnets, composed of a neodymium alloy with powerful attractive forces, pose unique risks to children. The attraction of the magnets to each other when positioned in separate areas of the intestinal tract can lead to bowel obstruction, perforation, fistula formation, or pressure necrosis. These significant complications have led NASPGHAN to offer guidance for their urgent removal in children. Upon medical presentation and determination of their position on x-ray, ingested magnets should be removed urgently before entering the small intestine to prevent severe adverse events.1,2 However, endoscopic location and removal can be challenging especially if the child has not been in a fasting state. We present a makeshift technique for easily removing magnetic foreign bodies in such a scenario