Button Batteries and High-Powered Neodymium Magnet Ingestion in Children

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Foreign body ingestions in pediatrics are present highly variably. For each case, it is important to consider the size of the child, the age of the child, the size of the object, and the inherently different risk of different objects ingested. It is important to note that regardless of the type of object, any foreign body should be removed from the esophagus. Over the past decade, the medical literature has particularly identified the potential for morbidity and mortality in cases of button battery and magnet ingestions. AIM: This study aims to describe the complications and how to avoid them in addition to studying the role of early endoscopic intervention in cases of button batteries (BB) and multiple magnets ingestion in children. METHODS: There were 151 children enrolled in the study, classified into two groups. The first group constitutes ninety children with BB, the other group sixty children with multiple magnets ingestion. In addition to one patient with both multiple magnets and battery ingestion, which are extracted endoscopically from the stomach without complication. BB detected in the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum in 70 patients were extracted endoscopically. Other 20 patients where the batteries were detected distal to duodenum were observed till the discharge of batteries was confirmed. In patients with multiple magnets, the magnets were in the upper GIT in 46 patients while found distal to the duodenum in 14 patients. RESULTS: There were 151 children enrolled in the study, classified into two groups. The first group constitutes ninety children with BB, the other group sixty children with multiple magnets ingestion. In addition to one patient with both multiple magnets and battery ingestion, which are extracted endoscopically from the stomach without complication. BB detected in the upper GIT in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum in 70 patients were extracted endoscopically. Other 20 patients where the batteries were detected distal to duodenum were observed until the discharge of batteries was confirmed. In patients with multiple magnets, the magnets were in the upper GIT in 46 patients while found distal to the duodenum in 14 patients. CONCLUSION: This study put alarm that multiple magnets ingestion carries a high risk of gastrointestinal perforation compared to battery ingestion. Invitation to ban on the sale of products with high-powered neodymium magnets, such as Buckyballs and Buckycubes, and to keep BB difficult reachable by children. In addition to encouraging urgent endoscopic management of suspected BB or multiple magnets ingestion.