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Toddler swallows a button battery: saved thanks to collaboration between Meyer and Monasterio

A case that highlights the importance of prevention: doctors issue a warning to parents

Il dottor Lo Piccolo e la dottoressa Lenares AOU Meyer Irccs
Il dottor Lo Piccolo e la dottoressa Lenares AOU Meyer Irccs
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A potentially tragic incident fortunately had a happy ending, thanks to the swift collaboration between Meyer Hospital in Florence and the Ospedale del Cuore in Massa. A one-year-old girl nearly lost her life after swallowing a button battery, a common household item that poses a serious risk to children.

The accident happened last Thursday when the toddler was rushed to the pediatric emergency room at Meyer. Her parents had noticed difficulty swallowing and informed doctors that she had been playing with a battery before falling asleep.

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Medical specialists immediately performed an X-ray, which revealed the foreign object lodged in the upper esophageal sphincter. Although the most dangerous location for such incidents is the middle section of the esophagus, due to its proximity to the aortic arch, the doctors decided to act with extreme urgency.

A silent danger: electrical, chemical, and mechanical damage

According to Dr. Roberto Lo Piccolo, the surgeon who performed the procedure, button batteries can cause three major types of injury:

  • Electrical, as the anode and cathode activate inside the esophagus, leading to rapid burns.
  • Mechanical, due to pressure on the digestive tract walls.
  • Chemical, as the release of toxic substances can cause even more severe damage.

Given their proximity to major blood vessels, the risk of aortic damage is high, requiring an immediate multidisciplinary intervention.

Transfer to Ospedale del Cuore and the complex surgery

To ensure the best care for the child, doctors decided to transfer her to Ospedale del Cuore in Massa, where a team of cardiac surgeons, anesthetists, and pediatric intensive care specialists was ready to intervene.

The endoscopic procedure, performed by Dr. Lo Piccolo, was particularly challenging as the battery had already embedded itself in the esophageal tissue, causing a lesion. Using microscopic forceps and instruments just 5 millimeters in diameter, the medical team successfully removed the object without further complications. Fortunately, there was no aortic damage, but the child remained in intensive care for several days for close monitoring.

Her condition gradually improved, and she was eventually transferred to a pediatric recovery unit.

A widespread problem: doctors warn parents

This case is just one of three incidents reported in Tuscany within the last two months. Last November, a child tragically died after swallowing a battery, while another was saved in time.

Dr. Lo Piccolo warns parents: “Button batteries are extremely dangerous. Keep them away from young children.”

Doctors urge parents to store these items out of children’s reach and to act immediately if ingestion occurs.

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