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The incidence and complication rate of pediatric battery ingestion in the Netherlands

Hilde Krom1,2, Marc A Benninga1, Diederik K Bosman3

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, the Netherlands.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|January 21, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric battery ingestion occurs at a rate of 1.18 per 100,000 children annually in the Netherlands, with a 17% complication rate. Increased awareness is crucial to prevent serious harm from this life-threatening emergency.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pediatric battery ingestion poses significant risks, including severe complications and mortality.
  • Young children are particularly vulnerable to accidental button battery ingestion due to exploratory behaviors.
  • Esophageal impaction of batteries is more frequent in children than adults due to anatomical differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and complication rates of pediatric battery ingestion in the Netherlands.
  • To identify risk factors associated with complications from pediatric battery ingestion.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective reporting of pediatric battery ingestion cases (2018-2021) via the Dutch Pediatric Surveillance System.
  • Inclusion of patient and battery characteristics, complications, and interventions.
  • Combination with population data from Statistics Netherlands and follow-up via questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • An incidence of 1.18 episodes per 100,000 children per year was found, with 153 total episodes reported.
  • Button batteries accounted for 87.6% of ingestions; 17.0% of cases resulted in complications.
  • Severe complications included mortality, esophageal-aortal fistula, carotid artery bleeding, tracheal-esophageal fistula, and mediastinitis.
  • Complications were linked to younger age, presenting symptoms, larger battery size, and upper/middle esophageal location.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric battery ingestion in the Netherlands has an incidence of 1.18 per 100,000 children, with a 17% complication rate.
  • Battery swallowing is a life-threatening emergency requiring urgent action.
  • Heightened awareness among policymakers, industry, and healthcare professionals is essential for prevention.

Keywords:
BatteryEsophageal-aortal fistulaForeign bodyImpactionIngestionTracheal-esophageal fistula

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