Button battery ingestion

Button batteries are easily swallowed by children and may produce severe di gestive injuries through two different mechanisms: electochemical burns whe n in contact with the digestive mucosa, release of caustic substances when fragmented. Esophageal lesions are especially dangerous, as they can lead t o perforation, fistula or secondary stenosis. The risk of mercury intoxicat ion is less worrying since the assimilated fraction of the metal is unlikel y to produce clinical effect. Although the large majority of the reported c ases of button battery ingestion remained asymptomatic, the potentially let hal outcome justifies a precise diagnostic procedure: any button battery in gestion must be documented with a radiography of the digestive tract. Any b attery lodged in the esophagus must be urgently removed by endoscopy. Other locations do not need any removal attempt unless complications: nonetheles s a follow-up is necessary to confirm the spontaneous elimination of the ba ttery Manufacturers, physicians and parents share responsibility for preven ting such accidents. (C) 1999 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.