Magnetic removal of foreign bodies from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

The authors describe a simple method of removing objects such as bobby pins and straight pins from the upper gastrointestinal tract. A small but strong magnet such as the one used in a magnetic potholder is inserted in a nasogastric tube and passed through the mouth and nasopharynx under fluoroscopic control until it makes contact with the foreign body. The entire procedure takes only about two minutes and requires no special endoscopic skill.