Doctors in Lviv Save 2-Year-Old Sofia Who Lived with Battery in Esophagus for Three Months

In Lviv, doctors at the Children's Hospital of St. Nicholas have successfully rescued a two-year-old girl named Sofia, who had been living with a lithium battery lodged in her esophagus for three months. This alarming situation arose because Sofia's parents were initially unable to identify the cause of her health issues, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

At the beginning of autumn, Sofia's parents noticed that their daughter began to complain of throat and abdominal pain. She also experienced difficulties swallowing, only able to consume food that had been blended into a puree. Concerned about her condition, the parents sought medical attention; however, doctors, failing to detect any foreign objects, began treating her for a suspected infection. To alleviate her abdominal pain, Sofia was prescribed an ibuprofen-based medication.

Throughout the winter, the symptoms exhibited by Sofia were attributed to various illnesses. Medical professionals treated her for worms, inflammatory processes, and other potential causes. Nevertheless, Sofia's condition did not improve; she continued to complain of throat pain and struggled to eat normally.

As spring approached, Sofia developed new symptoms: vomiting, refusal to eat, coughing, and wheezing that could be heard from a distance. Alarmed by their daughter's deteriorating condition, her parents returned to the medical professionals and insisted on further examinations. An X-ray revealed the shocking truth: a foreign object was lodged in the girl's esophagus.

“During the endoscopic examination, it was confirmed that a round lithium battery, measuring 2.5 cm in diameter, was stuck at the site of the first physiological narrowing of the esophagus. Surrounding it were signs of swelling and hypergranulation of the mucous membrane—indications of prolonged tissue damage,” hospital representatives reported.

The treatment of Sofia was undertaken by pediatric surgeons Volodymyr Fedus, Denys Konoplytskyi, and Dmytro Hrytsak. The operation was complex, as the battery was tightly lodged, and any manipulation could lead to a rupture of the esophagus. However, the doctors successfully managed to remove the foreign object safely.

“At the moment, the condition of the two-year-old patient is stable, but risks still remain. Medical professionals are closely monitoring for any potential narrowing of the esophagus at the site of the injury—one of the most common complications in such cases,” the hospital added. A month from now, Sofia will undergo a follow-up examination to determine if there are any complications following the surgery.