Open AccessAlkaline disc battery ingestion in Children: A special hazard
Author(s) -
Sajid Hameed Dar,
Muhammad Afzal Sheikh
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
annals of king edward medical university
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2079-7192
pISSN - 2079-0694
DOI - 10.21649/akemu.v9i4.1370
Subject(s) - medicine , ingestion , laparotomy , alkaline battery , laxative , foreign body ingestion , foreign body , battery (electricity) , surgery , foreign bodies , hazard , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , constipation , chemistry , organic chemistry
Foreign body ingestion by a child is not an uncommon occurrence. Alkaline disc battery presents special hazards because of its small size, rounded shape and chemical composition. A total of 154 cases of foreign body ingestion were documented in five year long study. Out of these 9(5.85%) children had ingested alkaline disc batteries. One (1.12%) could be removed endoscopically from oesophagous. Two (22.23%) boys underwent laparotomy as the battery cases were broken. Rest of the 6 (66.66%) could be treated conservatively. In two cases (22.23%) laxative use enhanced the process of recovery. Emphasis is made on the careful follow up approach for this benign but potentially dangerous condition in contrast to a more radical approach propagated by many.