Abstract
This is a case of a two-year-old boy who has been suffering from food regurgitation and frequent vomiting over the past seven months which were progressively worsening with time. He was initially diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease and treated accordingly but responded only minimally. Investigations and interventional procedures including a chest X-ray showed a metallic round object in the upper esophagus consistent with a button battery which was removed via a thoracotomy after an esophagoscopy was not successful. This child would not have developed such serious complications and would not have required major surgery had the foreign body been identified and removed early on.
Highlights
Pediatric foreign body ingestion is a problem encountered by many physicians including pediatricians, otolaryngologists, and emergency physicians frequently
80% of cases of foreign body ingestions occur in children between the ages of six months and three years [1,2,3]
The aim of this report is to describe our case of a pediatric patient who ingested a button battery and was diagnosed late and to highlight the importance of having a high index of suspicion
Summary
Pediatric foreign body ingestion is a problem encountered by many physicians including pediatricians, otolaryngologists, and emergency physicians frequently. 80% of cases of foreign body ingestions occur in children between the ages of six months and three years [1,2,3]. Button battery ingestion occurs at an estimate rate of ten in one million people per year, a small group of which are retained in the esophagus and later become complicated [1].
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