Abstract

Button batteries can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population when ingested. An increasing number of cases and complications after battery ingestion have been seen worldwide. Batteries in the oesophagus typically pose the highest risk of complications, and exposure can lead to caustic injury within 2 hours. A two-view X-ray should be performed for diagnosis. Timely endoscopic removal is the mainstay of treatment. Novel neutralization strategies to reduce damage are the pre-removal ingestion of honey or sucralfate, and intraoperative irrigation with acetic acid. After removal, careful monitoring for complications should be given for potential delayed complications, including fistulisation into major vessels, which often leads to death. The aim of this review is to present three different cases with severe complications, to analyse current practice and to present initial algorithm.