Experts were shocked by a teenager (13) from New Zealand who complained of abdominal pain. They found that he had swallowed more than 100 magnets that he was supposed to buy online. , doctors had to perform an emergency operation in which the teenage boy lost part of his intestine.
- A teenager from New Zealand swallowed more than 100 magnets.
- The boy suffered from stomach pain for four days.
- The magnets came together in the digestive tract and restricted blood flow.
- Doctors removed the magnets and damaged parts of the intestine during the operation.
- Experts warn of the risks of ingesting strong magnets.
He swallowed dozens of magnets
According to the medical report the young boy suffered from abdominal pain for four days before seeking professional help. Doctors at New Zealand’s Tauranga Hospital did an X-ray, which revealed he had magnets in his digestive tract. The teenager then confessed that a few days earlier he had ingested 80 to 100 neodymium magnets, which he was supposed to buy at the well-known Chinese e-shop Temu.
It turned out that the magnets were located in the intestines and were connected in four bundles. “Separated parts of the intestines became attached to each other due to strong magnetism,” the medical team said in the report. This complication created pressure that restricted the flow of blood and oxygen to the area, causing the tissue to die..
After discovering the teenager, paramedics quickly operated to remove the magnets and damaged parts of the intestine. “This case points not only to the danger of ingesting magnets, but also to the risks of e-shops for children. Despite existing Prohibited Products laws in New Zealand, enforcement of regulations on items purchased from overseas online marketplaces is insufficient,” they hinted.
Experts have warned that these global e-shops are very difficult to regulate. “These platforms are easily accessible especially for children, while shopping is cheap and doesn’t always require age verification“, they added.
The boy should have bought the magnets from Temu. (illustrative photo)
Source:
iStock
The Temu e-shop also commented on the incident, revealing that it had launched its own investigation. “We are sorry that such an inconvenience happened and we wish the boy a speedy recovery. At this time it was not possible to confirm whether the magnets were purchased from our store. We want to ensure full compliance with the countries’ safety requirements. Products found to be non-compliant will be deleted. We will also take tough action against sellers who have violated our platform rules,” the company wrote.
Doctors warn that ingesting strong magnets can have serious consequences. It can cause complications such as pressure necrosis, perforation (small hole in the intestine), obstruction (blockage of the intestine), fistula (connection of organs) or life-threatening sepsis. “As most cases are treated with surgery, this can lead to later complications including abdominal hernia and chronic pain“, they concluded.
