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Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
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Urgent X-Rays in Children With Unexplained Haematemesis Help Rule Out Button Battery Ingestion

Malni Irene1, Marin Maura1, Barbi Egidio1,2

  • 1Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Unwitnessed button battery ingestion in young children often presents with vague symptoms, leading to diagnostic delays. Prompt X-rays are crucial for timely diagnosis and improved outcomes in pediatric foreign body ingestion.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Foreign Body Ingestion
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Button battery ingestion is a critical concern in children under 4 years old.
  • Unwitnessed ingestions pose diagnostic challenges and risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review unwitnessed button battery ingestions in infants and toddlers.
  • To highlight complications and risks in children under 2 years.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies from 1983-2025.
  • Keywords: 'disk battery', 'button battery', 'ingestion', 'unwitnessed'.
  • Included 15 studies with 41 cases.

Main Results:

  • Median patient age was 18 months.
  • Common symptoms: dysphagia, vomiting, fever, drooling, hematemesis.
  • Average presentation delay: 72 hours; 92% identified by X-ray.

Conclusions:

  • Unexplained hematemesis in young children warrants immediate chest and abdominal X-rays.
  • Early radiographic diagnosis is key to minimizing delays and improving outcomes.
  • Button battery ingestion requires prompt recognition and management.
Abstract

Keywords:
button battery ingestiondiagnostic delayhematemesisoesophageal injuryunwitnessed ingestion

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