Conservative Management of Cylindrical Battery Ingestion in a Pediatric Case: A Report from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Presentation: A child presented to the emergency department with a one-day history of accidental ingestion of a cylindrical battery. Diagnostic Method: An abdominal radiograph confirmed the presence of the foreign body in the abdomen. Management: The patient was managed conservatively with oral clear fluids, laxatives to aid in the passage of the cylindrical battery, and serial plain abdominal radiographs to monitor its movement from the stomach to the descending colon until it was expelled through the rectum. Discussion: Daily clinical examinations, serial abdominal radiographs, and conservative management with oral clear fluids and laxatives can facilitate the passage of an intact cylindrical battery through the rectum in children without causing corrosive effects or complications. However, if the battery casing is compromised, it can cause caustic damage to the airways or gastrointestinal tract.