Button battery as a foreign body in the nasal cavities. Special aspects.

Rhinology. 1994 Jun;32(2):98-100.
Button battery as a foreign body in the nasal cavities. Special aspects.
Gomes CC, Sakano E, Lucchezi MC, Porto PR.
Source
Department of Otolaryngology, Campinas University, UNICAMP-SP, Brasil.
Abstract
Alkaline batteries as foreign bodies in the nasal cavities are dangerous because they can cause liquefaction necrosis with subsequent severe local tissue destruction. Batteries found in the nasal cavities should be removed immediately to prevent sequelae such as septal perforations or nasal meatus stenosis. Due to the common use of these batteries (e.g. watches, electronic toys and games, calculators) physicians and the general public should be more aware of this type of foreign body and the peculiarities in their management. We present five cases of button battery foreign bodies in the nasal cavities and review 12 cases described in the literature and discuss the special aspects of these foreign bodies.

*Button batteries spontaneously leak corrosive electrolyte solution on exposure to moisture. Tissue in contact with such solution will undergo liquefaction necrosis.