American College of Surgeons: Clinical Congress 2019

The GIRC was invited by the American Academy of Pediatric’s Button Battery Task Force to speak on a panel at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in October 2019. This presentation was attended by over 100 audience members and engaged the panel on treatment algorithms and clinical successes related to prompt removal of button battery and magnetic product ingestions.

The GIRC extends a special thank you to Dr. Ian Jacobs for inviting the GIRC to participate on the panel, and to all the other doctors and professionals that stood together to help address the concerns associated with button battery and magnet ingestion.

During the GIRC’s presentation, statistics regarding the casework and subsequent reporting of nearly 400 pediatric surgeons, gastroenterologists, and otolaryngologists was shared. It was found that overall, injuries are seldom reported. Two percent of food and coin related foreign bodies were reported, whereas approximately eleven percent of button battery related ingestion injuries were reported. Of these injuries, many were considered to be of elevated hazard severity. To request a copy of the presentation, please use contact us.

To read more about the successes of the “Harmful if Swallowed: The Persistent Danger of Button Batteries and Small Magnets” panel, please visit the American College of Surgeons website, or follow the full link below: https://www.facs.org/clincon2019/resources/highlights/tue/ps206.