Paediatric surgery: multiple magnet ingestion: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Paediatric surgery: multiple magnet ingestion

Sample item

Why are multiple ingested magnets in a child dangerous?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. They attract across bowel loops, causing pressure necrosis and fistula

Magnets that are swallowed separately can attract each other across adjacent loops of bowel, trapping the walls between them. Pressure necrosis leads to perforation, fistula and volvulus, so multiple magnet ingestion needs urgent assessment and removal.

Option by option

  • A. They produce corrosive burns from electrical discharge

    Electrical corrosive burns are the hazard of button batteries, not magnets.

  • B. They dissolve and release toxic metal salts

    Magnets do not dissolve, and the problem is mechanical.

  • C. They always obstruct the pylorus

    They do not specifically lodge at the pylorus.

  • D. They attract across bowel loops, causing pressure necrosis and fistula (correct)

    Correct. Magnets attract through bowel walls, causing ischaemic necrosis, perforation and fistula.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, They attract across bowel loops, causing pressure necrosis and fistula. Magnets that are swallowed separately can attract each other across adjacent loops of bowel, trapping the walls between them.

Why is "They produce corrosive burns from electrical discharge" not the answer?

Electrical corrosive burns are the hazard of button batteries, not magnets.

Why is "They dissolve and release toxic metal salts" not the answer?

Magnets do not dissolve, and the problem is mechanical.

Why is "They always obstruct the pylorus" not the answer?

They do not specifically lodge at the pylorus.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paediatric surgery: multiple magnet ingestion in General Surgery. Pressure necrosis leads to perforation, fistula and volvulus, so multiple magnet ingestion needs urgent assessment and removal.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Paediatric surgery: multiple magnet ingestion?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.