title: A case of battery ingestion in a pediatric patient: what is its importance?
abstract: This is a case of a two-year-old boy who has been suffering from food regurgitation and frequent vomiting over the past seven months which were progressively worsening with time. He was initially diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease and treated accordingly but responded only minimally. Investigations and interventional procedures including a chest X-ray showed a metallic round object in the upper esophagus consistent with a button battery which was removed via a thoracotomy after an esophagoscopy was not successful. This child would not have developed such serious complications and would not have required major surgery had the foreign body been identified and removed early on.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akel
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Usamah
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hadi