Two-Month Duration of Esophageal Button Battery Impaction in a 23-Month-Old Boy: A Case Report

Ingestion of foreign bodies, particularly button batteries (BB), is a common pediatric emergency. Esophageal impaction of BB is associated with life-threatening complications. Damage can be manifested within hours from ingestion; therefore, immediate removal is recommended. A 23-month-old boy presented to the emergency department following an incidental chest X-ray that revealed a BB lodged in the upper esophagus, initially overlooked during a prior visit. The family reported that the child had been experiencing persistent cough, intermittent fever, vomiting, and poor oral intake over the last two months. Upon admission, the child was stable, but laboratory tests indicated elevated inflammatory markers. A multidisciplinary team was promptly assembled for management, leading to a successful extraction of the BB in the operating room. Postoperatively, the child developed secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infection, which were effectively treated. After discharge, the patient was followed up in the clinic, and no complications were observed. Although BB ingestions are not the commonest among all types of foreign body ingestion, their serious complications have been evidence-based published.