[Impaction of button batteries in the esophagus: a potentially fatal surgical emergency in infancy].

With the recent popularization of button batteries, the incidence of cases of children who ingest them has risen. Unlike other foreign bodies, button batteries are more likely to develop severe complications due to the possibility of early injury to the tissues in direct contact with them. We present the case of a 22-month-old boy who ingested a button battery which subsequently became lodged in the cervical esophagus. The endoscopic attempt to remove the battery failed, requiring an open esophagotomy for its extraction. In the postoperative period, he presented an esophagocutaneous fistula that closed spontaneously, and an esophageal stricture that was treated successfully with endoscopic balloon dilations. We reviewed the literature analyzing the recommendations recently outlined and contrasted them with our own protocol for management of ingested foreign bodies. In addition, measures aimed at reducing the risk of button battery ingestion in small children are proposed to the electronics manufacturing industry.