New Delhi: It is bizarre tale of money, magnet and Intestine.The young patient who came with pain in abdomen and consistent vomiting had gulped lot of coins and magnets thinking that it will replenish zinc in his body which is essential for body building. Magnets and coins being formidable combination, it called for flawless skill of surgeons to disentangle them and finally excavate them.
A 26 year old young patient came to emergency of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with repeated vomiting and pain abdomen of more than 20 days. He was not able to eat anything. He was attended by the senior consultant Dr Tarun Mittal in OPD. The patient’s relatives gave history of eating of coins and magnets by the patient for past few weeks
Patient is a known case of psychiatric illness and was on treatment for same. Relatives had a X ray of abdomen with them which showed radio opaque shadows in abdomen with the shape of coins and magnets.
Then he underwent CT scan of the abdomen which showed huge load of coins and magnet causing blockage of the intestine.
Patient was immediately prepared for the surgery. During surgery it was found the magnets and coins were present in the small intestine in two different loops. The magnetic effect pulled the two loops together and had eroded it.The intestines were opened and coins and magnets were taken out.
Both the loops were rejoined by two different anastomosis. Stomach was inspected and huge load of coins and magnets were found there also. Stomach was opened up and all the coins were extracted and stomach was repaired. A Total of 39 coins (Rs1, 2 ,5 coins) and 37 magnets (heart, spherical, star , bullet and triangle shapes) were there.
Patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged in healthy condition after seven days.
On probing him he told that he had ingested this as he thought that zinc helps in building body. The coins contain zinc and he ingested magnet so that the coin stay in the intestine and there is more absorption of zinc.
This is to inform general public that ingestion of these foreign bodies can be life threatening and should not be done.
Our Team included – Dr Tarun Mittal, Dr Ashish Dey and Dr Anmol Ahuja( Consultants); Dr Vikram Singh (Clinical Assistant); Dr Tanushree and Dr Karthik (Residents ) who manged this case.
