Gastrocolonic Fistula Caused by Buckyballs

Excerpt

A 2-year-old girl was evaluated in the Emergency Department due to the incidental finding of seven ball-shaped foreign bodies present in the gastrointestinal tract in a routine X-ray (Fig. 1). The girl had a history of playing with small brightly-colored strongly magnetic metallic spheres termed “buckyballs” ten days prior. She had no complaints; physical examination was unremarkable. Gastroscopy showed three buckyballs aligned perpendicular to the gastric wall (Fig. 2). The remaining four balls were not visible by enteroscopy. Laparoscopy confirmed the presence of four balls in the transverse colon, transported via a gastrocolic fistula. All balls were easily removed.

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