You are asked to recommend therapy for an asymptomatic 2 year old who swallowed a small alkaline watch battery 4 hours ago. A plain film shows the intact battery in the intestine beyond the stomach. The best course of therapy is?
A. Immediate laparotomy, enterotomy and removal of the battery
B. Enteroscopy with extraction
C. Laparoscopy with ultrasound localization and extraction
D. Cathartics and a follow-up plain film in 48 hours if the child remains asymptomatic
Answer:D
You are asked to recommend therapy for an asymptomatic 2 year old who swallowed a small alkaline watch battery 4 hours ago. A plain film shows the intact battery in the intestine beyond the stomach. The best course of therapy is?
A. Immediate laparotomy, enterotomy and removal of the battery B. Enteroscopy with extraction C. Laparoscopy with ultrasound localization and extraction D. Cathartics and a follow-up plain film in 48 hours if the child remains asymptomatic