Use of an intraocular handpiece for the removal of magnets from the oropharynx of a pediatric patient.

With the increasing availability of magnets within household objects and toys, otolaryngologists must be aware of the propensity of ingestions or impaction of magnets within the upper aerodigestive tract of pediatric patients. We describe a case of a 21-month old male who presented with throat pain after swallowing ten 0.5-inch magnetic balls, after which evaluation revealed the adherence the the of three magnets within the posterior oropharynx and an additional seven magnets in the small intestine. After an initial failed attempt to remove the pharyngeal magnets with forceps, the magnets were successfully removed using an ophthalmic intraocular magnet handpiece designed for ophthalmologic procedures. Use of this device should be taken into consideration for similar cases.