skip to main content

Button battery ingestion — RACP Paediatrics MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardEmergency paediatricsButton battery ingestionRACP Paediatrics

A 2-year-old is brought in after being seen with an open packet of button batteries. He is drooling and refusing fluids. Chest X-ray shows a circular radio-opaque object at the thoracic inlet with a double rim sign. What is the most appropriate management?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A — Urgent endoscopic removal

An oesophageal button battery is a time-critical emergency requiring urgent removal because tissue injury can occur rapidly. The double rim sign and symptoms localise the battery to the oesophagus. Inducing vomiting or waiting for passage is unsafe.

Reference: RCH Foreign body ingestion guideline; Poisons Information Centre