Severe esophageal damage caused by button battery ingestion in a 10-month-old infant

Foreign body ingestion is commonly encountered in infants and young children. Button batteries represent a special category of pediatric ingested foreign bodies because of the serious possibility of complications when impacted in the esophagus. Herein we report a case of emergency medicine in a 10-month-old infant who accidentally ingested a button battery, causing severe esophageal damage. He presented with excessive crying and decreased oral intake. A chest radiograph revealed a coin shadow at the mid-esophagus, which subsequently led to the diagnosis and removal of the object. Postoperative treatment options such as antireflux therapy, antibiotic therapy, steroids, and esophageal stenting, which are still controversial, have been discussed in this paper. With increasing accessibility to electronic toys and gadgets, accidental ingestion is on the rise in infants and young children. Judicious management should be tailored in every case. © 2015, The Egyptian Oto - Rhino - Laryngological Society.