Neck pain and stiffness in a toddler with history of button battery ingestion

Abstract

Background: Button batteries within the gastrointestinal system are dangerous and must be suspected after any foreign body ingestion. Common complications include esophageal perforation, fistula formation, and esophageal scarring.

Objectives: Spondylodiscitis resulting from button battery ingestion is extremely rare and, to our knowledge, has been described in the literature only once to date.

Case report: We will describe a case in which a 14-month-old girl developed spondylodiscitis of T1/T2 after an uncomplicated clinical course involving the ingestion and removal of an esophageal button battery. Discussion will include mechanisms in which button batteries cause harm and notable differences between the previously reported case and ours.

Conclusions: We present this case to increase awareness of spondylodiscitis in patients with neck pain or stiffness and a history of button battery ingestion.