The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Doctors at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital successfully performed surgery to extract 39 coins and 37 magnets from a man’s intestines. The patient, grappling with psychiatric illness, ingested the objects believing that zinc aids in bodybuilding.
The incident surfaced when a 26-year-old individual visited the emergency ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, complaining of persistent vomiting and abdominal discomfort spanning over 20 days. The patient, unable to consume food, sought medical attention.
Initially assessed by senior consultant Dr. Tarun Mittal in the outpatient department, the patient’s family disclosed his habit of consuming coins and magnets over the preceding weeks. Additionally, he was undergoing treatment for a known psychiatric condition.
X-ray imaging of the patient’s abdomen revealed radio-opaque shadows resembling coins and magnets, prompting further investigation via a CT scan. The scan unveiled a significant accumulation of coins and magnets obstructing the intestine, necessitating immediate surgical intervention.
During the operation, surgeons discovered the coins and magnets lodged in two separate loops of the small intestine, which had been pulled together and eroded due to magnetic attraction. The foreign objects were meticulously removed, and the damaged intestines were repaired through two separate anastomoses. Subsequent examination revealed a substantial quantity of coins in the stomach, requiring additional extraction and repair.
A total of 39 coins (comprising Rs 1, 2, and 5 denominations) and 37 magnets (including heart, spherical, star, bullet, and triangle shapes) were retrieved from the patient’s digestive tract. Post-surgery, an operative X-ray confirmed the successful removal of all foreign bodies. The patient recuperated well and was discharged in stable condition after seven days.
Upon interrogation, the patient revealed ingesting the coins and magnets under the misconception that zinc aids in bodybuilding. His rationale was to enhance zinc absorption by retaining the coins in the intestine using magnets.
The medical team from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital involved in the procedure included Dr. Tarun Mittal, Dr. Ashish Dey, and Dr. Anmol Ahuja (consultants); Dr. Vikram Singh (clinical assistant); Dr. Tanushree and Dr. Karthik (residents).