Magnet and button battery ingestion in children: multicentre observational study of management and outcomes

Magnets and button batteries (BBs) are dangerous ingested foreign bodies in children. The scale and consequences of this public health issue in the UK are unknown. This study aims to report the current management strategies and outcomes associated with paediatric magnet and BB ingestion in the UK. T...

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Published in:	BJS open Vol. 6; no. 3
Main Authors:	Neville, Jonathan J., Harwood, Rachel, Bethell, George S., Rhodes, Hannah, Arthur, Felicity, Eastwood, Mary P., Hotonu, Sesi, Tullie, Lucinda, Hall, Nigel J., Coulson, R., Lawther, S., Burns, K., Chacon, C. S., Boam, T., Clarke, S. A., Hallett, J., Valliant, N., Hemanshoo, T., Tahira, A., Decker, E., Ahmed, T., Cave, J., Ram, A., Shenoy, M., John, M., Wyn, M., Wilkins, L., Allin, B., Fagelnor, A., Bough, G., Mohd-Amin, A. T., Trenear, R.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Oxford University Press 02-05-2022
Subjects:	Child Eating Female Hospitalization Humans Intestinal Perforation - etiology Intestinal Perforation - surgery Magnets - adverse effects Male Original Specialties, Surgical
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Summary:	Magnets and button batteries (BBs) are dangerous ingested foreign bodies in children. The scale and consequences of this public health issue in the UK are unknown. This study aims to report the current management strategies and outcomes associated with paediatric magnet and BB ingestion in the UK. This multicentre, retrospective observational study involved 13 UK tertiary paediatric surgery centres. Children aged under 17 years, admitted between 1 October 2019 and 30 September 2020, following magnet, or BB ingestion were included. Demographics, investigations, management, and complications were recorded. In total, 263 patients were identified, comprising 146 (55.5 per cent) magnet, 112 (42.6 per cent) BB, and 5 (1.9 per cent) mixed magnet BB ingestions. Median (interquartile range) age was 4.8 (2.0-9.1) years and 47.5 per cent were female. In the magnet group, 38 (26.0 per cent) children swallowed single magnets, 3 of whom underwent endoscopic retrieval for oesophageal or gastric impaction. Of the 108 (74.0 per cent) children who swallowed multiple magnets, 51 (47.2 per cent) required endoscopic or surgical intervention, predominantly for failure of magnets to progress on serial imaging. Bowel perforations occurred in 10 children (9.3 per cent). Younger age and ingestion of greater numbers of multiple magnets were independently associated with surgery. BB ingestion caused morbidity in 14 children (12.5 per cent) and life-threatening injuries in two (1.8 per cent); the majority were caused by oesophageal BBs (64.3 per cent). Multiple magnet and BB ingestions are associated with significant morbidity. Action must be taken at an international level to regulate the sale of magnets and BBs, and to raise awareness of the risks that these objects pose to children.
Bibliography:	Members of the Paediatric Surgery Trainee Research Network are co-authors of this study and are listed under the heading Collaborators.
ISSN:	2474-9842 2474-9842
DOI:	10.1093/bjsopen/zrac056