Battery ingestion: an unusual cause of mediastinitis

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1806-37132014000500016 antibiotics and nasogastric tube feeding). After 30 days of hospitalization, follow-up esophagoscopy demonstrated complete lesion closure with no sign of stenosis. A BB lodged in the esophagus can cause severe tissue damage and delayed complications, such as esophageal perforation, tracheoesophageal fistulas, mediastinitis, and death.(1-4) Misdiagnoses frequently occur when ingested batteries are misidentified on X-rays as other objects, particularly coins. However, subtle differences exist in the radiographic features of BBs and coins. A halo of reduced density is present around the circumference of a BB (double rim or halo effect) on an AP X-ray, and a step-off can be observed on the lateral view. A battery lodged in the esophagus must be treated as a medical emergency because of its rapid corrosive action; a BB may cause serious burns in just two hours.(1-4) Patients with a battery in the esophagus may be asymptomatic initially. Endoscopic removal is preferred because it allows direct visualization of tissue injury.(1) Battery ingestion: an unusual cause of mediastinitis