Button Battery: A Hazardous Nasal Foreign Body and a Cause of Septal Perforation. Two Case Reports

Abstract

Aims: To report to cases of button batteries as nasal foreign bodies and to emphasize the unique clinical characteristics of this condition regarding diagnosis and management. Presentation of Case: We report two boys, one 5-year-old who was found to have a button battery in his left nasal cavity for a long time and subsequently developed a septal perforation and a 4-year-old in whom the quick removal of the battery from his nose resulted in an uneventful fast recovery. Discussion and Conclusion: The etiology of septal perforation is presented briefly. The mechanism and management of button battery injury are discussed. The time interval between insertion and removal, the battery’s anode orientation and its thickness were the most important factors identified. The previous two cases highlight the management peculiarities of these rarely described foreign nasal bodies. Early removal and treatment, including antibiotics and nasal toilet, appears to offer the best prognosis.