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Disk Battery Ingestion: Treatment & Medication
Updated: Oct 2, 2009
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Treatment
Emergency Department Care
The recommended management algorithm for dealing with the ingestion of disk batteries is shown in Media file 4.
Recommended management algorithm for patients with disk battery ingestions. Notes: (1) Serum mercury levels and chelation therapy should be reserved for patients who develop signs of mercury toxicity, not simply because mercury is noted on radiograph. (2) Acute abdomen, tarry or bloody stools, fever, and persistent vomiting. (3) Disk batteries in the esophagus must be removed. Endoscopy should be used if available. The Foley catheter technique may be used if the ingestion is less than 2 hours old but not if more than 2 hours old because it may increase the damage to the weakened esophagus. (4) When the Foley technique fails or is contraindicated, the disk battery should be removed endoscopically. This may require transfer to a more comprehensive medical treatment facility.
- Secure the ABCs, and resuscitate the patient as necessary.
- Obtain an initial radiograph of the chest and abdomen to determine the battery location.
- Remove batteries located in the esophagus emergently because of the risk of esophageal burns and resultant complications. The procedure of choice is flexible fiberoptic endoscopy. If an endoscopist is not available within 2 hours and the history of ingestion less than 2 hours earlier is reliable, consider attempting the Foley balloon catheter technique for removal, which is performed as follows:
- A 10-16 Fr Foley catheter is passed orally, as the patient sits upright on the fluoroscopy table. Some sedation may be required for small children.
- After the Foley catheter is inserted, place the patient in the lateral decubitus or Trendelenburg position, and fluoroscopically confirm the distal catheter tip position by introducing contrast into the balloon. Slowly inflate the balloon with 3-5 mL, and slowly withdraw the catheter under fluoroscopic guidance.
- With the operator's thumb on the syringe plunger, the syringe remains in contact with the balloon. Filling adjustments can be made as the operator senses subtle pressure changes in the balloon as the catheter is withdrawn.
- Use constant, moderate traction to withdraw the balloon, while avoiding hesitation at the hypopharynx; there the balloon meets and pushes the battery into the oral pharynx, where it can be removed with McGill forceps or expelled by the patient.
- Batteries localized beyond the esophagus rarely need to be retrieved unless the patient manifests signs or symptoms of GI tract injury (eg, hematochezia, abdominal pain, tenderness) or a large-diameter battery fails to pass beyond the pylorus. Some experts suggest that any delay in GI transit (distal to the pylorus) greater than 8 hours mandates some form of intervention because of the potential for erosive/corrosive complications.
- Do not give ipecac to patients with disk batteries located in the stomach. Instances have been reported of patients who were given ipecac that resulted in the battery becoming lodged in the esophagus by retrograde movement during emesis. Emergent endoscopic removal was required.
- Confirm battery passage by daily inspections of all stools. Weekly radiographs are recommended to confirm battery passage and to observe for battery fragmentation (see Media file 5). This is particularly important with the 15.6-mm mercuric oxide cell because of its greater likelihood of splitting in the GI tract.
Radiograph of child 1 week after ingestion of a disk battery. The battery has passed into the rectum. Photographed by Daniel J. Dire, MD.
- Patients younger than 6 years who have ingested a battery with a diameter of 15 mm or greater should have a repeat radiograph in 48 hours if the battery was originally in the stomach. These batteries do not generally pass the pylorus after 48 hours. Endoscopic retrieval may be necessary.
- Chelation therapy is not necessary in asymptomatic patients unless toxic mercury levels are documented.
- Whole-bowel irrigation, colonic enemas, and cathartics all have been used successfully to evacuate disk batteries situated below the pylorus in pediatric ingestions. Although no controlled studies of these modalities have been reported, they should be considered for situations in which delayed transit (below the level of the pylorus) is documented.
Consultations
- The need for endoscopic retrieval is a function of battery size. Of batteries that are larger than 15 mm in diameter, 25% require endoscopic retrieval, whereas only 2.8% of smaller batteries require endoscopic retrieval. Endoscopy is successful in 90% of patients with batteries located in the esophagus. One animal study demonstrated that the Roth net was the optimal device for endoscopic retrieval of disk batteries in the stomach.
- Hospitalization for battery ingestion is infrequent (4.5%) and generally brief (<2 d). Surgical procedures to remove ingested batteries or to treat complications rarely are needed (<1% of patients).
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| Overview: Disk Battery Ingestion |
| Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Disk Battery Ingestion |
 Treatment & Medication: Disk Battery Ingestion |
| Follow-up: Disk Battery Ingestion |
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References
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Further Reading
Keywords
battery ingestion, disk battery, watch battery, calculator battery, hearing aid battery, esophageal perforation, aortic perforation with exsanguinations, tracheoesophageal fistulae, esophageal damage, endoscopic retrieval, National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline, swallowed disk battery, button battery
