A 2-Year-Old Boy Who Developed an Aortoesophageal Fistula After Swallowing a Button Battery, Managed Using a Novel Procedure with Vascular Plug Device as a Bridge to Definitive Surgical Repair.

BACKGROUND Button batteries (BBs) can be inhaled or swallowed accidentally, particularly by infants and children, who can present as a surgical emergency with a fatal outcome. This report is of a case of a 2-year-old boy who developed an aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) after swallowing a button battery and was successfully treated using a novel vascular plug device as a bridge to definitive surgical repair. AEF is diagnosed using computed tomography angiography (CTA), after laparotomy, and using aortography. Aortic endovascular stenting and vascular occluder placement is a minimally invasive emergency option until definitive treatment can be provided. The surgical options include repair the aortic defect primarily, or the diseased segment of the aorta is replaced with a graft. CASE REPORT A 2-year-old boy presented with hematemesis 9 days after ingestion of a button battery, which was removed endoscopically 16 hours after the incident. The patient was resuscitated aggressively and diagnosed to have AEF using computed tomography angiography (CTA). The aorta was successfully repaired using a vascular plug device, which kept the patient safe until the definitive surgical treatment was done 2 months later. The defect was repaired with direct anastomosis and completed with a patch of bovine pericardium, as well as closure of the fistula from the esophageal side with stitches. CONCLUSIONS This report presents a rare but previously reported complication of swallowing a button battery, resulting in an aortoesophageal fistula. The aorta was successfully repaired using a vascular plug as a minimally invasive emergency option, which is considered as a lifesaving procedure and a bridge for definitive repair.

Natural history and outcome of inflammatory bowel diseases in children in Saudi Arabia: A single-center experience.

Background/Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder which includes ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and indeterminate colitis (IC). The natural history of pediatric IBDs is poorly understood and generally unpredictable. We aim to study the natural history of IBD in Saudi children including the extraintestinal manifestations, changes in diagnosis, disease behavior, medical management, and surgical outcome. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of all the charts of children less than 14 years of age who were diagnosed as IBD and followed up in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH and RC) from January 2001 to December 2011 was performed. Results: Sixty-six children were diagnosed with IBD, 36 patients (54.5%) had CD, 27 patients (41%) had UC, and 3 patients (4.5%) had IC. Change in the diagnosis from UC to CD was made in 5 patients (7.6%). Extraintestinal manifestations were documented in 32% of all patients, and the most common was bone involvement (osteopenia/osteoporosis) in 16.7% of the patients. Arthritis (13.6%) was the second most common manifestation. Sclerosing cholangitis was reported in 2.8% in CD compared to 14.8% in UC. At the time of data collection, 8 patients (12%) were off therapy, 38 patients (57.6) were on 5-ASA, 31 patients (47%) were on azathioprine, and 12 patients (18.2%) were receiving anti-TNF. Of the children with CD, 10 patients (27.8%) underwent 1 or more major operations. Of the children with UC, 18.5% underwent 1 or more major intraabdominal procedures. Conclusions: Many issues in pediatric IBD can predict the natural history of the disease including growth failure, complications, need for more aggressive medical treatment, and/or surgery. More studies are needed from the region focusing on factors that may affect the natural history and disease progression.