Button Battery Ingestion Research Articles

Toxicology in the emergency department: what's new?

Intentional and accidental drug overdose, recreational drug use and exposure to toxic substances are common reasons for people presenting to emergency departments. Although the mortality rate associated with these presentations is low in the UK, they can lead to significant morbidity and prolonged hospital admissions. This review discusses new developments in the management of paracetamol overdose. Several new protocols for the infusion of acetylcysteine, the antidote for paracetamol overdose, have been proposed in the past decade and evaluated in clinical studies. The 12-hour Scottish and Newcastle Acetylcysteine Protocol regimen and 20-hour Australian two-infusion bag protocol have been widely adopted into clinical practice and endorsed in national guidelines because of their shorter duration, reduction in adverse effects and efficacy in treating overdose. This article includes a care pathway that can facilitate the implementation of the Scottish and Newcastle Acetylcysteine Protocol. This article also discusses the emergency management of ingested button batteries, describes the emerging threat of novel psychoactive substances, and provides an update on new UK antidote guidelines. Further up-to-date guidance on management of clinical toxicology is available to healthcare professionals on the internet database TOXBASE.

Vascular Complications in Children Following Button Battery Ingestions: A Systematic Review.

Children presenting to health care facilities with button battery (BB) impaction. To describe characteristics of children with vascular complications after BB impaction, as well as associated outcomes. National Capital Poison Center registry and PubMed database from inception to December 2021. All reports describing children aged <18 years with vascular, esophageal, or airway complications after BB ingestion. We extracted characteristics including date of publication, age and sex of child, battery type and size, duration and location of impaction, complications, subsequent interventions, and interval between battery removal and death. A total of 361 cases involved severe complications or death after BB ingestion (321 cases from the National Capital Poison Center registry database, 40 additional cases from PubMed). Nineteen percent (69 of 361) were fatal and 14% (51 of 361) involved vascular injuries. Three-quarters (75%) of vascular complications were aorto-esophageal fistulae and 82% of vascular injuries were not survivable. Fatal vascular cases had significantly longer median impaction time (96hours versus 144 hours, P <.05) and a wider range of presenting features than survivors. The total number of cases with vascular complications was small, data reported varied between cases, and no data were available on overall exposure. Long-term morbidity data were not available for the survivors. Prolonged BB impaction is a risk factor for vascular complications and death. A high index of suspicion is required for children representing with hematemesis after BB impaction, with prompt transfer to a tertiary center because vascular surgical intervention may offer a chance of survival.

Corrosive and Button Battery Ingestion in Children

Corrosive and Button Battery Ingestion in Children

Chronic Button Battery Ingestion

Chronic Button Battery Ingestion

Button battery injury: An update.

Paediatric button battery injuries present a challenge in the general practice setting. Although some children present with history or parental suspicion of button battery ingestion (BBI) or insertion, unwitnessed cases may present with non-specific symptoms thatcan mimic many respiratory and gastrointestinal pathologies. The aim of this article is to increase awareness of the fast onset of life-threatening tissue injury from BBI and the importance of timely referral as wellas provide an update on current management, including first aid management in the general practice setting. BBI is a medical emergency. The button battery requires urgent removal as it cancause caustic burn injury to its surrounding tissues in as little as 15minutes. Limited awareness of the time-critical nature of this presentation has been reported in multiple triage settings. Studies have shown a role for consumption of honey or sucralfate in delaying tissue injury while awaiting surgical removal.

Tracheoesophageal Fistula after Button Battery Ingestion.

Tracheoesophageal Fistula after Button Battery Ingestion.

Electric Insulating Irrigations Mitigates Esophageal Injury Caused by Button Battery Ingestion.

ObjectiveAccidental ingestion of button batteries (BB), usually occurred in children and infants, will rapidly erode the esophagus and result in severe complications, even death. It has been recommended that treatment of this emergent accident as soon as possible with drinking of pH-neutralizing viscous solutions such as honey and sucralfate before surgical removal can mitigate the esophageal injury. Recently, we reported that the electric insulating solutions such as edible oils could mitigate tissue damage in BB-exposed esophageal segments. In this study, we compared the protective effect of kitchen oil with honey or sucralfate, the recommended pH-neutralizing beverages, and with their mixture on esophageal injury caused by BB ingestion in pig esophageal segments and in living piglets.MethodsEffect of olive oil irrigations was compared to that of honey or sucralfate irrigations in the BB-damaged esophageal segments freshly collected from the local abattoir and in live Bama miniature piglets with the proximal esophagus exposed to BB for 60 min. Also, the effect of olive oil and honey mixture (MOH) irrigations was assessed in live animals. The BB voltage was recorded before insertion and after its removal. Gross and histological analysis of the esophageal injury was performed after BB exposure in segmented fresh esophagus and 7 days after BB exposure in live animals, respectively.ResultsOlive oil irrigations demonstrated better protective effect against BB-induced esophageal damage, compared to honey or sucralfate for BB-induced esophageal damage in vitro. But in vivo study showed that olive oil alone exacerbated esophageal injury because all esophagi irrigated with olive oil perforated. Surprisingly, irrigations with the MOH showed considerable protective effect for BB-induced esophageal damage in live animals, significantly better than irrigations with honey alone. The MOH decreased BB discharge, reduced area of surface injury, attenuated injured depth of esophageal wall thickness, and downed the mucosal injury index in comparison to using honey alone.ConclusionIrrigations with olive oil alone couldn’t prevent the BB discharge and is harmful for BB ingestion before surgical removal. However, mixed with honey, olive oil very effectively prevents the BB discharging and produces better esophageal protection than honey.

Histopathologic Findings of Button Battery-Related Changes in a Perforated Meckel’s Diverticulum: Report of Three Cases

Background: A button battery can cause perforation of Meckel’s diverticulum if sequestered in this blind ending bowel segment. Reported cases focused on clinical manifestations, management options, radiologic and intraoperative findings. We highlight the histopathologic features in perforated Meckel’s diverticula due to ingested button batteries. Case report: Three toddlers presented with perforated Meckel’s diverticula after button battery ingestion. Histologic examination of the diverticula showed multiple burn-like mucosal ulcerations and liquefactive wall perforations of the tips, associated with prominent siderotic pigment deposits and calcifications. There were various residual materials with variable staining patterns in the luminal debris, necrotic tissue and adjacent to submucosal blood vessels. Conclusion: There is accelerated deposition of iron and calcium associated with button batteries.

Evaluating the management timeline of tracheoesophageal fistulas secondary to button batteries: A systematic review

IntroductionDuring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the incidence of pediatric button battery (BB) ingestions has risen. Children have spent more time at home from school, while many parents try to balance working from home and childcare. Additionally, the amount of electronics powered by BB has increased. Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) secondary to a retained aerodigestive BB is a devastating development. Management is challenging, and the clinical timeline of watchful waiting versus surgical intervention for TEF is poorly defined in the literature. MethodsIn accordance with PRISMA guidelines, databases searched include PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL from database date of inception through August 13, 2021. All study designs were included, and no language, publication date, or other restrictions were applied. Case series and reports of TEFs secondary to BBs were included. Clinical risk factors and outcomes were compared between the spontaneous closure and surgical repair groups. ResultsA total of 79 studies with 105 total patients were included. Mortality was 11.4%. There were 23 (21.9%) TEFs that spontaneously closed and 71 (67.6%) that underwent surgical repair. Median time to spontaneous closure compared to surgical repair was significantly different (8.0 weeks [IQR 4.0–18.4] vs. 2.0 weeks [IQR 0.1–3.3], p<0.001). Smaller TEFs were more likely to spontaneously close versus being surgically repaired (9.3 mm ± 3.5 vs. 14.9 mm ± 8.3, p=0.022). Duration of symptoms before BB discovery, BB size, time between BB removal and TEF discovery, and location of the TEF were not statistically different between the spontaneous closure and surgical repair groups. ConclusionA TEF secondary to BB ingestion is a potentially deadly complication. Timing of reported TEF spontaneous closure varies significantly. While smaller TEFs may be amenable to healing without surgical repair, no other significant factors were identified that may be associated with spontaneous closure. If clinical status permits, these data suggest a period of observation of at least 8 weeks prior to surgical intervention may be practical for many BB-induced TEFs.

Magnet and button battery ingestion in children: multicentre observational study of management and outcomes.

BackgroundMagnets and button batteries (BBs) are dangerous ingested foreign bodies in children. The scale and consequences of this public health issue in the UK are unknown. This study aims to report the current management strategies and outcomes associated with paediatric magnet and BB ingestion in the UK.MethodsThis multicentre, retrospective observational study involved 13 UK tertiary paediatric surgery centres. Children aged under 17 years, admitted between 1 October 2019 and 30 September 2020, following magnet, or BB ingestion were included. Demographics, investigations, management, and complications were recorded.ResultsIn total, 263 patients were identified, comprising 146 (55.5 per cent) magnet, 112 (42.6 per cent) BB, and 5 (1.9 per cent) mixed magnet BB ingestions. Median (interquartile range) age was 4.8 (2.0–9.1) years and 47.5 per cent were female. In the magnet group, 38 (26.0 per cent) children swallowed single magnets, 3 of whom underwent endoscopic retrieval for oesophageal or gastric impaction. Of the 108 (74.0 per cent) children who swallowed multiple magnets, 51 (47.2 per cent) required endoscopic or surgical intervention, predominantly for failure of magnets to progress on serial imaging. Bowel perforations occurred in 10 children (9.3 per cent). Younger age and ingestion of greater numbers of multiple magnets were independently associated with surgery. BB ingestion caused morbidity in 14 children (12.5 per cent) and life-threatening injuries in two (1.8 per cent); the majority were caused by oesophageal BBs (64.3 per cent).ConclusionMultiple magnet and BB ingestions are associated with significant morbidity. Action must be taken at an international level to regulate the sale of magnets and BBs, and to raise awareness of the risks that these objects pose to children.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Foreign Body Ingestion Trends in Children: A Comparison of the Pre-Pandemic Period to 2020.

Foreign body ingestion (FBI) among children is associated with morbidity and mortality. We used the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to compare FBI trends from 2017–2019 to 2020 during the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The pandemic and associated stay-at-home orders were associated with uptrends in button battery and magnet ingestions but unchanged total FBI trends.

Button battery taping prevents oesophageal injury.

Most button battery (BB) ingestions in children are unwitnessed leading to prolonged exposures and severe complications. One third of ingestions occur from free BB, that are stored or awaiting disposal. Recommendations have been made to cover the terminals of discarded BB with adhesive tape; however, it is unclear if this practice prevents injury. Our aim was to determine if tape could prevent oesophageal injury in a cadaveric porcine model. Electrical, masking, packing and duct tape were compared. One BB was left untaped. Taped BBs were placed in a cadaveric porcine oesophagus controlled for temperature and humidification. Specimens were assessed at 0, 0.5, and hourly for 6h by visual inspection, temperature and pH. BB voltage was measured before and after testing. All tests were repeated in triplicate. Oesophageal specimens demonstrated burn prevention in the packing and duct tape trials. Burns were seen in 2/3 trials with electrical tape and 3/3 trials with masking tape. pH remained neutral throughout the study for all packing and duct tape specimens. pH remained neutral initially for masking tape but increased rapidly to 12 by 2h. There was no change in battery voltage for the packing tape and duct tape trials. There was a 16.3% reduction in voltage for masking tape which was similar to controls. Taping BB with packing tape and duct tape prevented oesophageal burns. This may provide a novel method of burn prevention for loose BB intended for disposal.

Management of oesophageal impaction of button batteries in Queensland

Oesophageal button battery impaction (OBBI) is a medical emergency requiring timely removal due to rapid oesophageal tissue injury. The aim of this study was to characterize circumstances of OBBI and identify potential barriers to timely removal of button batteries (BB) in the paediatric population. This is a retrospective review of OBBI cases between January 2018 to June 2019. Medical records were used to obtain patient demographics, battery size and type, battery source, location of initial presentation and outcomes. Time to obtaining x-ray, transfer to tertiary centre and to removal of button battery were recorded. Eight cases of OBBI were recorded during the 18 months study timeframe. Six patients were male and two were female, aged 0.97 to 2.8 years. Six were from an English-speaking background and two were from families of non-English speaking background. Battery removal occurred at Queensland Children's Hospital (QCH) in seven of eight cases. Time from ingestion to initial presentation to hospital ranged from 39 min to 123 h with a mean time of 2h and 13 min. Overall, the total time from ingestion of BB to removal ranged from 2h 54 min to 126 h 51 min. Despite being recognized as a time critical emergency, diagnostic, geographic and logistic challenges in Queensland make optimal care a challenge. Primary prevention strategies coupled with an expanded network for safe battery removal, and novel management strategies such as honey and acetic acid could improve care and reduce morbidity.

Single-Center Retrospective Review of the Presentation and Initial Care of Esophageal Button Battery Impactions 2007-2020.

The aims of this study were to characterize the patient population and initial presentation and care of esophageal button battery ingestion and provide descriptive data including factors affecting accurate diagnosis, duration of battery exposure, and battery removal. This was a retrospective cohort study from 2007 to 2020 at a single-center, large-volume, urban academic pediatric hospital system. Included participants were children 6 months to 18 years old who underwent removal of an esophageal button battery impaction at our institution. Our cohort comprised 63 patients; ages ranged from 7 to 87 months with a median of 27 months. Median button battery size was 2.12 cm with 59% lodged in the proximal esophagus. A prolonged impaction, greater than 12 hours, occurred in 46% of patients. Risk ratio analysis demonstrated that lack of caregiver suspicion of ingestion was associated with prolonged impaction (risk ratio, 3.39; confidence interval, 2.15-5.34). Misdiagnosis of button battery ingestion occurred in 10% of cases. The majority of patients, 87%, required transfer from a referring facility with a median total distance of 37 miles (range, 1.4-160 miles) from home to facility where battery was removed. This study describes the initial presentation and care of a large cohort of pediatric esophageal button battery ingestion. It emphasizes the continued need for primary prevention, prompt identification, and removal of these batteries. There are many challenges in caring for these patients involving multiple pediatric disciplines, and guidelines encompassing a multidisciplinary approach would be beneficial.

Magnetic resonance imaging of children following esophageal button battery removal: What are we looking for?

Despite society recommendations that cross-sectional imaging be obtained following removal of ingested button batteries, there is no published consensus on how it effectively guides clinical management. This single institution survey demonstrates a lack of uniformity by clinicians regarding which imaging findings impact management decisions, highlighting the need for further guidelines.

Association between the corrosion of ingested lithium button battery in the esophagus and its complications in pediatric patients.

The incidence of lithium button battery ingestion has been increasing recently, which results in severe complications. We aimed to demonstrate the association between the corrosion of lithium button batteries in the esophagus on radiographs and their complications. The nine pediatric patients included in this study were classified into two groups based on the presence of severe complications. The presence and degree of corrosion on plain radiographs were evaluated. The degree of corrosion was classified into the following three grades; none: 0%; moderate: 1-50%; severe: 51-100%. Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analyses. Of the nine patients, five showed complications. The number of patients who had grade none, moderate, and severe degrees of corrosion was three, four, and two, respectively. The incidence of severe complications differed significantly between the incidence of lithium button batteries' contour (without vs. with severe complications [presence/absence of corrosion] = 1/3 vs. 5/0, respectively; P = 0.0476). In cases with "none" degree of corrosion, all three cases had no complication, and in cases with a "severe" degree of corrosion, all two cases had complications. The cases with the presence of corrosion of lithium button batteries had a higher tendency to have severe complications. Therefore, physicians should anticipate the presence of severe complications in pediatric patients with corrosion more than those without corrosion.

Case Series Report: Management of Anesthesia in Children Undergoing Complex Surgery of Tracheoesophageal Fistula after Ingestion of Button Batteries

Button battery ingestions in children increased in recent years and may lead to life-threatening complications, especially if the battery is impacted in the esophagus. The pH close to the negative pole of the battery can rise in a very alkalotic range (pH > 10) leading to severe tissue damage. Therefore, in this case series report, the clinical courses of four children with button battery ingestion leading to tracheoesophageal fistulas are presented. The diagnosis and removal of the button battery was delayed in all cases. The surgical reconstruction of the trachea was performed in intravenous anesthesia and with extended monitoring. The intraoperative oxygenation was maintained using a combination of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and mechanical ventilation via an endobronchial tube. To prevent these life-threatening complications, the awareness of the parents and child care providers should be raised, and the manufacturers should redesign their products to secure the battery compartment. In children with suspected battery ingestions, the immediate localization and removal of the battery (< 2 h) is of highest importance. Local administration of honey or sucralfate can be considered in ingestions < 12 h but should not delay an endoscopic removal.

Clinical profile and outcome of button battery ingestion in children- an institution-based experience from South India

Button batteries are increasingly becoming a common foreign body ingested by children, thanks to their ubiquitous presence in the multitude of common household articles /devices. Unwitnessed button battery ingestions pose a diagnostic challenge, in that, the symptoms mimic that of a GI upset. The diagnosis may be missed/ delayed unless there is a high index of suspicion. A multidisciplinary approach involving primary care Pediatricians, Pediatric gastroenterologists and Pediatric surgeons is often needed to effectively manage these children. Timely intervention can avert serious complications. Keywords: Button battery, Children, accidental ingestion, x-ray, Esophagus, Endoscopy.

The emergency management of three pediatric cases of button battery ingestion with complications

Button battery ingestion (BBI) is an increasingly common pediatric condition, both nationwide and worldwide. Management algorithms, including treatment with honey or sucralfate within the first 12 hours, should be prepared for use in the emergency care of patients with suspected BBI without initial complications. In this report, we present three pediatric patients who presented to the emergency department with different symptoms and complications and were diagnosed with BBI.

Button Batteries and High-Powered Neodymium Magnet Ingestion in Children

BACKGROUND: Foreign body ingestions in pediatrics are present highly variably. For each case, it is important to consider the size of the child, the age of the child, the size of the object, and the inherently different risk of different objects ingested. It is important to note that regardless of the type of object, any foreign body should be removed from the esophagus. Over the past decade, the medical literature has particularly identified the potential for morbidity and mortality in cases of button battery and magnet ingestions. AIM: This study aims to describe the complications and how to avoid them in addition to studying the role of early endoscopic intervention in cases of button batteries (BB) and multiple magnets ingestion in children. METHODS: There were 151 children enrolled in the study, classified into two groups. The first group constitutes ninety children with BB, the other group sixty children with multiple magnets ingestion. In addition to one patient with both multiple magnets and battery ingestion, which are extracted endoscopically from the stomach without complication. BB detected in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum in 70 patients were extracted endoscopically. Other 20 patients where the batteries were detected distal to duodenum were observed till the discharge of batteries was confirmed. In patients with multiple magnets, the magnets were in the upper GIT in 46 patients while found distal to the duodenum in 14 patients. RESULTS: There were 151 children enrolled in the study, classified into two groups. The first group constitutes ninety children with BB, the other group sixty children with multiple magnets ingestion. In addition to one patient with both multiple magnets and battery ingestion, which are extracted endoscopically from the stomach without complication. BB detected in the upper GIT in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum in 70 patients were extracted endoscopically. Other 20 patients where the batteries were detected distal to duodenum were observed until the discharge of batteries was confirmed. In patients with multiple magnets, the magnets were in the upper GIT in 46 patients while found distal to the duodenum in 14 patients. CONCLUSION: This study put alarm that multiple magnets ingestion carries a high risk of gastrointestinal perforation compared to battery ingestion. Invitation to ban on the sale of products with high-powered neodymium magnets, such as Buckyballs and Buckycubes, and to keep BB difficult reachable by children. In addition to encouraging urgent endoscopic management of suspected BB or multiple magnets ingestion.