Ingestion of 14 Hearing Aid Batteries in an Adult Patient

TL;DR

A 61-year-old man accidentally ingested 14 hearing aid batteries, and they were safely found and removed without causing serious harm.

Contribution

This case highlights the rare occurrence of battery ingestion in adults and emphasizes the importance of mental health evaluation in such cases.

Findings

14 hearing aid batteries were found in the ileum and cecum via X-ray and confirmed by colonoscopy.

No evidence of perforation or obstruction was observed during the procedure.

Mental health considerations are important in adult patients who ingest dangerous foreign bodies like batteries.

Abstract

Battery ingestion is not a common occurrence in adults. When it occurs in patients of any age, prompt action might be necessary, depending on the type of battery ingested, to prevent damage to the gastric mucosa that is involved in important secreting and absorbing functions required to maintain homeostasis. A 61-year-old Hispanic male presented to the emergency department with the chief concern of shortness of breath and abdominal pain. Incidentally, an X-ray demonstrated multiple round hyperdense foreign bodies in the ileum and cecum. Physical exam was positive for right-sided and periumbilical abdominal pain without any peritoneal signs. Upon colonoscopy, 14 hearing aid batteries of size 312 were discovered without evidence of perforation or obstruction. Ingestion of batteries in adults is a rare phenomenon. When an adult presents with ingestion of dangerous foreign bodies such as batteries, mental health is critical to consider in the history and treatment plan.

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