title: Oesophageal button battery injuries: think again.
abstract: We present the cases of two infants with complications following accidental button battery ingestion with delayed presentations to medical care. Both cases had button batteries recognized as oesophageal foreign bodies and removed appropriately but the time delay resulted in significant morbidity as they developed spinal erosion and tracheo-oesophageal fistula, respectively. Close follow up is required of all children with delayed removal of button batteries as the injury initiated by the battery can lead to a chronic inflammation with significant injury to the surrounding structures.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. drrajeev@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jarugula
authors.forename: Tavey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dorofaeff
mesh_terms: D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011211:Electric Power Supplies / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology