Management of Tracheoesophageal Fistula Secondary to Button Battery Ingestion

Introduction: Foreign body ingestion in children is a common problem encountered and treated by both pediatricians and otolaryngologists. The increased use of electronic devices has paralleled the increasing incidence of battery ingestions. Ingestion of the disc batteries can be fatal by causing burns in the trachea and the esophagus, resulting in an acquired tracheoesophageal fistula. We report on a child with tracheoesophageal fistula secondary to disc battery ingestion in which primary repair was performed successfully. There are several options of closure of a tracheoesophageal fistula. In our case, it was repaired using an inferiorly based sternocleidomastoid flap which gave excellent result. Conclusion: Increased public and health personnel awareness is necessary to diminish the incidence of battery ingestion and its related sequelae. Though exceedingly rare, physicians who treat battery ingestion injuries in children should be aware of the possible serious and fatal adverse outcomes, and facilitate prompt medical and surgical therapy.