A Fatal Case of Coin Battery Ingestion in an 18-Month-Old Child

Abstract

The ingestion of extraneous substances is quite common in clinical practice; it usually befalls in the pediatric age, mostly between 6 months and 6 years. In most cases, complications do not emerge, and the prognosis is considered favorable. However, when a case of battery ingestion occurs, serious adverse events may develop. The ingestion of these components is a potential life-threatening event for children.In this article, we report the case of an 18-month-old child who died from hemorrhagic shock due to an aortoesophageal fistula caused by a 20 mm lithium button battery lodged in the esophagus.The child presented vomiting blood, and laboratory results revealed a severe anemization, which later led to death.The autopsy showed a coin battery located in the middle third of the esophagus as well as a transmural erosion of the esophageal wall with fistulization into the aortic wall. The histological examination revealed a severe necrosis of the esophageal and aortic walls in line with the junction between the aortic arch and the descending part.

Laparoscopic management of enterohepatic migrated fish bone mimicking liver neoplasm

“…Ingested foreign bodies vary from countries and depend on dietary habits. Reported foreign bodies include metallic or plastic objects such as needle, [32] coin, [87,91] metallic wire, [28] pen, [10] dental plate, [86] and toothbrush; [57] organic objects such as animal bones (fish [8] chicken, [18] and rabbit [88] ), or shell; [82] wooden objects such as toothpick, [29] clothespin [12] or some plan, [14] and other objects. With regard to penetrated foreign bodies, objects that cause perforation are usually sharp, pointed, or elongated, yet all of the aforementioned foreign bodies have been reported for penetration.…”

Button battery removed from the stomach resulting in a missed aortoesophageal fistula – a multidisciplinary approach to rescuing a very young patient: a case report

“…According to the literature, it is possible to identify several cases of infant death caused by the ingestion of batteries and their lodging in the esophagus. Approximately 13% of deaths were due to tracheal injury, 7% to tension pneumothorax, and 80% secondary to fatal hemorrhage [ 14 ].…”

Endoscopic retrieval of a button battery using the tip of a magnetic tube

“…When a lithium button battery is swallowed, it secretes an alkaline liquid as a result of electrolysis, causing gastrointestinal ulceration, which can sometimes lead to perforation . The battery should be promptly retrieved, but food residue may make locating it difficult, and its smooth, circular shape makes it difficult to grasp using forceps.…”