Overview
- Hospital clinicians reported the 13-year-old admitted ingesting between 80 and 100 neodymium magnets about a week before seeking care.
- Pressure from magnets attracted across bowel loops caused necrosis in four areas of the small and large intestine, according to the New Zealand Medical Journal report.
- The boy presented after four days of abdominal pain, underwent surgery at Tauranga Hospital to remove magnets and dead tissue, and was discharged after eight days.
- The magnets were reportedly bought via Temu despite a New Zealand ban on such products in place since January 2013.
- Temu said it has launched an internal investigation, contacted the report’s authors for details, and is reviewing relevant product listings for compliance with local safety rules.