Galvanic Esophageal Injury

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is a common clinical problem met in paediatric practice. Though an expectant line of management is indicated in most instances, ingested button batteries warrant emergency endoscopy and retrieval. When impacted, they can result in mucosal damage as a consequence of mechanical, chemical and electrical injury as well as systemic heavy-metal toxicity. Here we report the case of a three-year-old child who presented with features suggestive of impacted oesophageal foreign body. X ray neck revealed the characteristic features, confirming the diagnosis of an impacted button battery. The battery was successfully retrieved endoscopically with fluoroscopic assistance.

Keywords

• button battery
• esophageal injury
• gastrointestinal foreign body
• impaction