A 16-month-old girl in Yangjiang, Guangdong, China, was rushed to hospital after doctors discovered a button battery lodged in her oesophagus for more than 24 hours.
The toddler had suddenly started vomiting, but because she was still able to sleep and drink normally, her family initially suspected that she had gastroenteritis or indigestion.
It was only about 26 hours later that the family took her to hospital for an X-ray.
The scan revealed a round, high-density object clearly lodged inside the child’s oesophagus. Doctors later confirmed it was a button battery.
The battery was removed through emergency surgery. By then, its surface had turned black and corroded, while the section of the oesophagus where it had been lodged had suffered severe tissue damage and burns.
Doctors described the situation simply: the battery was effectively “burning” the child’s flesh while stuck inside her body.
Medical staff warned that button batteries can cause serious damage within a very short time after being swallowed. According to the doctors, two hours in the oesophagus can damage the mucous membrane, while six hours may lead to deep ulcers.
After 12 hours, deeper tissue necrosis can occur, while remaining lodged for more than 24 hours can put a child at risk of oesophageal perforation or even erosion of the aorta, potentially causing massive bleeding.
Doctors stressed that suspected button-battery ingestion should be treated as an extreme medical emergency.
If a child is suspected of swallowing a button battery, parents should immediately stop the child from eating or drinking and must not induce vomiting. They should also not give the child vinegar, rice balls, steamed buns or other food in an attempt to push the battery down.
Instead, the child should be taken immediately to an emergency department at a hospital equipped with paediatric digestive endoscopy or emergency ear, nose and throat services.
