Teenage Boy Hospitalized After Swallowing 17 Magnetic Balls

A teenager in the Moscow region underwent emergency medical treatment after swallowing 17 magnetic metal balls, prompting doctors to carry out several urgent surgical procedures to save him from potentially severe internal injuries.

The boy first complained of intense abdominal pain before doctors discovered the true cause of his condition.

Specialists at the Moscow Regional Center for Maternal and Child Health examined the patient and identified 17 magnetic balls inside his abdominal cavity. Each sphere reportedly measured around 15 millimeters in diameter.

Medical experts warn that swallowed magnets pose an especially serious danger because they can attract one another through intestinal walls, cutting off blood supply, tearing tissue, and causing life-threatening perforations or infections.

Surgeons Performed Multiple Emergency Procedures

Doctors initially carried out a gastroscopy in an attempt to remove the objects using minimally invasive methods. When that proved insufficient, surgeons proceeded with laparoscopic surgery and later performed a laparotomy to fully extract the magnets.

The emergency intervention allowed physicians to remove all 17 magnetic balls without causing severe long-term damage to the teenager's body.

The patient is now recovering under medical supervision.

Doctors Continue Warning About Magnetic Toys

Medical specialists across Russia and other countries have repeatedly warned parents about the dangers posed by small magnetic toys and magnetic construction sets. High-powered magnets can become deadly if swallowed, especially when multiple pieces enter the digestive system.

Children and teenagers often require emergency surgery in such cases because magnets may clamp together inside the intestines and rapidly destroy surrounding tissue.