Background <p>Children often ingest foreign bodies by accident. Ingestion in adolescents is often intentional. Ingested magnets and button batteries can be life-threatening and require endoscopic removal. Magnetic instruments may increase the rate of successful removal of ferromagnetic foreign bodies. The aim is to investigate if foreign body removal using magnetic instruments is superior to conventional removal.</p> Methods <p>A literature search of PubMed was conducted. Ten studies were included and compared in terms of type of ingested foreign body, symptoms, complications, and methods and effectiveness of retrieval.</p> Results <p>Studies mainly included children and adolescents. A variety of foreign bodies had been ingested and were retrieved from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Use of magnetic instruments was superior to conventional endoscopy. The rate of successful foreign body removal increased, and procedures were more efficient. No adverse events were noted.</p> Conclusion <p>Endoscopy-assisted foreign body removal using a magnetic instrument may be superior to conventional endoscopic removal. Further development and research are needed.</p>