Magnetic gastrointestinal anastomosis in pediatric patients.

Background/purpose: To describe 17 patients who underwent magnetic, non-surgical gastrointestinal (GI) anastomoses.

Methods: Patients with GI obstruction, stenosis, or atresia were treated with image-guided and/or endoscopically placed discoid magnet pairs or catheter-based bullet-shaped magnet pairs.

Results: Anastomosis was achieved in 7 days in an 11-year-old with gastric outlet obstruction due to metastatic colon cancer. Anastomosis was achieved in 8 and 10 days in 2 patients (age 2.0 years and 3.4 years) who had rectocolonic stenosis. Re-anastomosis was achieved in an average of 6 days (range 3 to 7 days) in 5 patients (age 6 months to 5.9 years) with severe recurrent postsurgical esophageal stenosis refractory to dilatation. Primary esophageal anastomosis was achieved in an average of 4.2 days (range 3 to 6 days) in 9 patients with esophageal atresia (Type A or Type C surgically converted to Type A) with a gap length of 4 cm or less. The average age of these esophageal atresia patients was 3 months (range 23 days to 5 months).

Conclusion: Minimally invasive magnet placement was feasible and achieved anastomosis in all patients.