Which statement is true regarding foreign bodies in the stomach of a child?

Which statement is true regarding foreign bodies in the stomach of a child?

• A. Coins always require endoscopy
• B. All ingested objects in stomach pass spontaneously
• C. Button battery may pass on its own
• D. Button battery requires endoscopy due to burn risk

Answer: (D)

Button batteries in the stomach can cause serious mucosal injury from electric current and leakage of alkaline contents, leading to burns and even perforation. This injury can occur quickly, so removing the battery with endoscopy is the safest course to prevent damage. While many swallowed objects in the stomach pass on their own, batteries carry a unique burn risk that makes observation inappropriate in this scenario. Coins or small benign objects often pass spontaneously, but a button battery is treated with retrieval to minimize potential harm.

Button batteries in the stomach can cause serious mucosal injury from electric current and leakage of alkaline contents, leading to burns and even perforation. This injury can occur quickly, so removing the battery with endoscopy is the safest course to prevent damage. While many swallowed objects in the stomach pass on their own, batteries carry a unique burn risk that makes observation inappropriate in this scenario. Coins or small benign objects often pass spontaneously, but a button battery is treated with retrieval to minimize potential harm.