Five years without symptoms: nine magnetic balls found in a child's stomach

At the Vinnytsia Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital, nine magnetic beads were accidentally discovered during an endoscopic examination of a child. According to the parents, the child may have swallowed them about five years ago. The medical facility reported the rare clinical case on August 3, 2026.

For several years the child did not complain of pain. There were also no signs of bleeding, intestinal obstruction, or other dangerous symptoms. During the examination, doctors determined that the magnetic beads were attracted to each other through a fold of the stomach mucosa. This led to the formation of a submucosal channel in which the foreign objects were partially located. Despite the absence of complaints, changes had already developed in the tissues that could have led to serious complications. The medical team faced a choice between an open operation and a less traumatic organ-preserving intervention.

Removing the beads with standard endoscopic instruments was impossible, so specialists applied a custom magnet-assisted technique. Using this method, the doctors safely removed all nine magnets without performing an open operation. After the procedure the child was kept under continuous medical and radiological supervision. No signs of gastric perforation or other complications were found. On the third day the child was discharged home in satisfactory condition.

Medical staff reminded that toys with small magnets pose a particular danger. Several swallowed magnets can attract each other through the walls of the stomach or intestines, causing impaired blood supply to tissues, necrosis, perforation, fistula formation, intestinal obstruction and peritonitis.

If there is the slightest suspicion that a child has swallowed a magnet, you should seek medical help immediately, even if they appear to be fine.

Previously we reported:

• In Kyiv, doctors removed 17 magnets from the stomach and intestines of a 5-year-old girl, avoiding perforation
• In Lviv, doctors removed a four-kilogram tumor from a 12-year-old girl
• At “Okhmatdyt” they carried out the 100th transplant: a 10-month-old child received a portion of a liver