A 13-year-old boy underwent significant surgery after ingesting approximately 100 high-powered magnets he purchased online. The incident led to the removal of part of the boy’s intestines by surgeons in New Zealand. The teenager, whose identity remains undisclosed, was admitted to Tauranga Hospital on New Zealand’s North Island following persistent abdominal pain post the ingestion of the magnets.
According to a report published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the boy confessed to swallowing around 80 to 100 5x2mm high-power magnets a week before. These ultra powerful magnets, prohibited in New Zealand since January 2013, were acquired from the Chinese online marketplace Temu. Medical professionals found that the small pellet-shaped magnets had clustered into four elongated strips within the boy’s intestines.
The strips, adhered together due to magnetic forces, caused tissue death in four areas of the boy’s small bowel and caecum. Surgeons successfully removed the magnets and excised the necrotic tissue during the operation, allowing the boy to be discharged after an eight-day hospital stay. The dangers of magnet ingestion and online marketplaces were emphasized by the medical paper’s authors, highlighting potential complications from the bowel surgery performed.
Temu expressed regret over the boy’s surgery and initiated an internal review to ensure compliance with safety regulations in New Zealand. The company confirmed that they are investigating the incident further and are reviewing their product listings for regulatory adherence. Despite facing criticism in the EU for alleged illegal products, the e-commerce platform is striving to enhance safety and product compliance measures.