Button Battery Ingestion in Children (PilBouTox®): A Prospective Study Describing the Clinical Course and Identifying Factors Related to Esophageal Impaction or Severe Cases

Dysphagia. 2023 Feb;38(1):446-456. doi: 10.1007/s00455-022-10485-7. Epub 2022 Jul 16.

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to identify the factors related to esophageal impaction following button battery (BB) ingestion in children. PilBouTox, a prospective multicentric observational cohort study, was conducted from French Poison Control Centers between June 1, 2016 and May 31, 2018. Children (0-12 years old) with BB ingestion were included. After ingestion, patients were monitored for 21 days or more if they remained symptomatic (maximum 1 year). Causes of ingestion, clinical manifestations, medical management, and the outcomes were recorded. In total, 415 patients were included; among them, 35 had esophageal impaction and 14 had severe complications or died. Seven symptoms were closely related (relative risk (RR) > 30) to esophageal impaction: anorexia, drooling, dyspnea, fever, hemodynamic instability, pallor, and pain. Furthermore, BBs > 15 mm were related to esophageal impaction (RR = 19, CI95% [4.1; 88]). The absence of initial symptoms was a protective factor for esophageal impaction (RR = 0.013, CI95% [0.002; 0.1]). Nine symptoms were closely related (RR > 30) to major effects and death: dyspnea, cough, dysphagia, drooling, fever, hemodynamic instability, pain, pallor, and vomiting. Seven symptoms were related to esophageal impaction and their rapid recognition could help to ensure that the patient is taken to a health care facility. Nine factors were related to the major effects of BB ingestion. We recommended an X-ray as soon as possible to determine the position of the BB.Trial Registry: Clinical Trial ID: NCT03708250, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03708250.

Keywords: Endoscopy; Esophageal perforation; Foreign bodies; Intensive care units; Pediatric; Public health.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Progression
  • Eating
  • Foreign Bodies* / complications
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Pallor / complications
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sialorrhea*

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03708250