Disc battery-the escalating risk of ingestion by children in Iraq and subsequent clinical events and complications

Abstract EN

Background: Disc battery ingestion is a common serious problem in Iraq.

It increase in the last years because of the increase in number of electronic toys that uses these batteries.

These batteries contains many types of irritant chemicals that increases the risk of it's ingestion.

Methods:We reviewed the medical records of children aged between 1year and 7 years old admitted to Surgical Specialty Hospital/Baghdad Medical City due to disc battery ingestion from January 2007 through December 2010).

The diagnosis of disc battery ingestion was based upon history, clinical symptoms, and results of imaging studies.

The clinical data reviewed included sex, age, clinical manifestation and duration of symptoms, hospital course, imaging findings, and endoscopic results.

Results: 50 patients were admitted to Thoracic and vascular Department/Surgical Speciality Hospital/Baghdad Medical city Complex (26 males and 24 females) of disc battery ingestion with a mean age of 1.873 years (range, 7 months to 7 years).

Fourty one patients had Symptoms of Dysphagia, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Four cases with no history of disc battery ingestion and were accidentally found by X ray studies.

Two patients complained from Aspiration and chalking, two patients had mediastinitis and died at later on due to sepsis, and only one case had surgical emphysema.

Thirty-eight cases had their batteries impacted in the upper esophagus and Nine cases had their batteries impacted in mid-esophagus, and Three cases had their battery impacted in the lower-esophagus.

In those patients with upper esophageal Impaction, two cases end with acquired tracheaesophageal fistula, in those patients with midesophageal impaction two of them were died from mediastinitis and sepsis, while those with lower esophageal impaction only one case ends with esophageal perforation and the battery removed by left thoracotomy under general anesthesia, and in 45 patients , were removed by endoscopy.

The duration of hospitalization varied from 1 day to 30 days.

Conclusion: Most cases of disc battery ingestion run uneventful courses.

However, the ingestion of some disc batteries may be fatal or complicated with life-threatening events.

If the battery impacts in the esophagus, emergency endoscopic management is necessary.

Once in the stomach, the battery will usually pass through the gastrointestinal tract without long-term complications.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics ,management, and out comes of disc battery ingestion in Iraq.

key words: Disc battery ,esophageal disc battery ingestion, risk of disc battery ingestion.