Assault by battery: battery-related injury in the head and neck

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: To estimate nationwide incidence of emergency department (ED) visits for battery-related injury (BRI) occurring in the head and neck, and analyze demographic and anatomic-specific trends.

Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was searched for BRI in the head and neck, with analysis for incidence, anatomic site, age and gender, and specific diagnoses.

Results: There were an estimated 18,803 head and neck BRI ED visits from 2003 to 2012. A total of 65.8% of patients were male. A total of 92.8% of patients were treated/examined and then released, and 4.7% of patients were admitted. A plurality (34.2%) of patients had BRI related to nose injures, and this represented the youngest cohort (median: 3 years old). The vast majority of ear and nose diagnoses were "foreign bodies"; two-thirds of mouth injuries were related to burns, whereas lacerations predominated in the face and head. Nearly half of ED visits involved patients between 2 and 5 years of age. A total of 45.2% of cases involving patients ≥ 65 years of age were related to hearing aid batteries as foreign bodies.

Conclusion: BRI in the head and neck results in a significant amount of ED visits. Mechanisms of injury vary by age and anatomic location, but a considerable male predilection exists. Whereas pediatric patients are primarily affected, particularly patients between 2 to 5 years of age, injuries do occur among adults. Importantly, the prevalence of dislodged hearing-aid batteries in the elderly necessitates comprehensive patient education to increase awareness and counseling regarding this complication. Awareness of demographic and anatomic-specific trends reported in this analysis may be an invaluable adjunct for history-taking and clinical examination.

Keywords: Battery-related injury; National Electronic Injury Surveillance System; batteries; chemical burns; foreign bodies; thermal burns.