Two Israeli Children Hospitalized After Swallowing Button Battery and Magnets, One Undergoes Emergency Surgery

In the past two weeks, Emek Medical Center treated two critical cases involving children swallowing dangerous foreign objects. A four-year-old boy ingested a button battery, and a five-year-old girl swallowed 16 magnets from a toy, resulting in severe gastrointestinal damage and requiring emergency surgery.

Dr. Firas Rinawi, head of pediatric gastroenterology at Emek Medical Center, explained that the boy’s mother immediately noticed him swallowing the battery and brought him to the emergency room. The battery was removed via gastroscopy under general anesthesia, but early signs of esophageal injury were already present. Dr. Rinawi emphasized the severe risks of button batteries lodged in the esophagus, including chemical burns, perforations, vocal cord damage, infections, bleeding, and damage to major blood vessels, stressing the urgency of immediate hospital arrival.

The second case was more complex. The five-year-old girl swallowed multiple magnets that had moved into the intestines, causing them to attract each other through intestinal walls, leading to necrosis, tears, and perforations. Dr. Mark Arkowitz, head of pediatric surgery, said the magnets caused significant intestinal damage that could not be treated endoscopically, necessitating urgent surgery. The operation involved reconnecting damaged intestinal segments, and the girl is now recovering.

Doctors warn that children may initially appear healthy after swallowing such objects, with symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting appearing later. They urge parents to seek immediate medical attention if ingestion is suspected, even without symptoms. Dr. Natanel Levi, senior anesthesiologist, highlighted that button batteries and magnets are among the most dangerous foreign bodies children can swallow, and prevention by keeping these items out of children’s reach is crucial. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent complex surgeries and save lives.