Neck pain and stiffness in a toddler with history of button battery ingestion.
BACKGROUND
Button batteries within the gastrointestinal system are dangerous and must be suspected after any foreign body ingestion. Common complications include esophageal perforation, fistula formation, and esophageal scarring.


OBJECTIVE
Spondylodiscitis resulting from button battery ingestion is extremely rare and, to our knowledge, has been described in the literature only once to date.


METHODS
We will describe a case in which a 14-month-old girl developed spondylodiscitis of T1/T2 after an uncomplicated clinical course involving the ingestion and removal of an esophageal button battery. Discussion will include mechanisms in which button batteries cause harm and notable differences between the previously reported case and ours.


CONCLUSIONS
We present this case to increase awareness of spondylodiscitis in patients with neck pain or stiffness and a history of button battery ingestion.
Tan
Audrey
A
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center/Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA.
Wolfram
Sigrid
S
Birmingham
Mary
M
Dayes
Nathaniel
N
Garrow
Eugene
E
Zehtabchi
Shahriar
S
D015299:Discitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome