Asia Wire

Boy Swallows 13 Magnetic Beads Which Perforated His Stomach

A four-year-old boy has swallowed 13 magnetic beads which formed a string in his gut and caused a gastrointestinal perforation.

The incident took place in the city of Xi’an in the landlocked Chinese province of Shaanxi when the youngster found the beads lying around at home.

When the boy’s parents realised what happened, they took him to the Third Hospital of Xi’an where it was found that the magnetic beads had strung together and passed through the patient’s stomach wall.

A four-year-old boy swallowed 13 magnetic beads that left a perforation in his stomach wall in Xi’an, China. (AsiaWire)

The beads had reached the mucosa, the innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract, and were posing a serious health risk, according to the news site Baidu.

The attending doctor confirmed that the 13 beads had formed a string in the boys system and that the magnetic force had made them reach the mucosa.

Doctors safely removed the foreign objects during endoscopic surgery on 22nd June.

A four-year-old boy swallowed 13 magnetic beads that left a perforation in his stomach wall in Xi’an, China. (AsiaWire)

Magnetic beads come in a range of colours and sizes and can resemble children’s sweets which can often lead to accidental swallowing.

Doctors reminded parents to pay attention to their children while playing with such objects.

According to Doctor Wang Fang, a gastroenterologist at the Third Hospital of Xi’an, since the Dragon Boat Festival in China in mid-June, their department has admitted many patients who swallowed magnetic beads and other foreign objects.

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