Overview
- Doctors at Tauranga Hospital found four chains of neodymium magnets in separate bowel segments causing pressure necrosis and resected damaged tissue.
- The 13-year-old reported ingesting approximately 80–100 magnets a week earlier and was discharged eight days after surgery.
- The magnets are prohibited for personal or domestic sale in New Zealand, yet clinicians say children can still buy them cheaply online.
- The boy told doctors the magnets were purchased via Temu; the company says it launched an internal review but has not verified the purchase or identified a listing.
- Surgeons warn multiple swallowed magnets can attract across intestinal walls, often requiring endoscopy or surgery and sometimes leading to long‑term complications.