Perforation of nasal septum due to button battery lodging in nose

Intranasal button battery causing septal perforation: a case report

A child presenting with fever, unilateral nasal discharge and sinusitis was found to have an alkaline disk button battery in the right nostril causing severe mucosal damage and septal perforation. The case is presented and mechanisms of injury discussed.

Disintegration of mercury disc cells in simulated gastric juice: implications for management of disc cell ingestion

The disintegration of charged alkaline mercury button cells in simulated gastric fluid over a 24 h period has been studied. The integrity of the cells and the amount of mercury that can leak out of them were assessed. The cells raised the pH of the incubating solutions. Disruption was seen in five out of 18 cells tested in 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid and one out of nine in 0.9% saline. Five of the six disrupted cells were made by the same manufacturer. Major leakage of mercury only occurred after complete disintegration of the cells. The implications of these findings for the management of patients who have ingested mercury-containing button cells are discussed.

Severe tissue destruction in the ear caused by alkaline button batteries

Button batteries spontaneously leak corrosive electrolyte solution on exposure to moisture. Tissue in contact with such solution will undergo liquefaction necrosis. Three cases of skin, bone and tympanic membrane necrosis caused by a leaking button battery lodged in the external auditory meatus are described.