Observation and patient disposition after button battery ingestion

Admit the following patients for urgent endoscopic removal of a button battery:

• any patient with a button battery in the oesophagus or airway
• any symptomatic patient with a button battery in the stomach.

Discharge asymptomatic patients only if:

• no button battery is detectable on X-ray
• any button battery seen on X-ray is located distal to the gastro-oesophageal sphincter.

Refer any patient with button battery insertion into the ear, nose, vagina or rectum for urgent surgical removal of the battery.