Characterization of Bougienage Electromagnetic Forces

Infants born with esophageal atresia can be treated by an electromagnetic bougienage method to lengthen the esophageal segments. This method uses magnetic forces generated between magnetic bullets (bougies) by a background magnetic field. Two types of bougies, solid rounded rod and hollow cylinder bullets, have been characterized using a fabricated prototype bougienage magnet. Analytical methods have been developed to obtain the magnetic forces on bougienage bullets. The calculation results were confirmed to agree well with the experimental results.