A 3-year-old is rushed to a minor injuries unit with a button battery lodged in the oesophagus after swallowing. What is the priority?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Urgent endoscopic removal within hours
- Step 1: Button batteries cause mucosal burns within two hours.
- Step 2: UK guidance is immediate removal for an oesophageal button battery.
Answer
Urgent endoscopic removal within hours.
Why not the others: Discharge with advice to check the stool: Checking stool applies only once the battery has passed beyond the stomach. Observation with a repeat X-ray in 24 hours: Observation risks perforation and fistula formation. Oral laxatives and review by the GP: Laxatives are irrelevant for an oesophageal battery.
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