Podcast #275: Battery Ingestions
Emergency Medical Minute - A podcast by Emergency Medical Minute - Mondays
Author: Nick Hatch, M.D. Educational Pearls Unlike coin ingestions, button batteries can cause necrosis of the GI tract. If lodged in the esophagus, removal within 2 hours is important, because they can cause problems such as strictures or esophago-aortic fistula. If the battery is in the stomach or beyond, it may be ok to let it pass but give strict return precautions. Small hearing aid batteries are not as dangerous, but still require close follow-up to ensure the battery passes. Delayed effects (after passage of the battery) are possible. References: https://www.poison.org/battery/guideline
