Vaginal discharge in a 2-year-old patient caused by an alkaline battery: A case report

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery case reports Vol. 91; p. 102589
• Main Authors: Bapir, Rawa, Ahmed, Nahidah Hamah Ameen, Othman, Snur, Mohammed, Deeman Hussein, Mohammed, Shvan H., Rahim, Hawbash M., Mohammed, Bruj Jamil, Kakamad, Fahmi H., Faeq, Nasar Fuad, Aghaways, Ismaeel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.04.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Child abuse; Vaginal discharge; Vaginal foreign body; Vaginal foreign body; Child abuse; Vaginal discharge
• ISSN: 2213-5766; 2213-5766
• DOI: 10.1016/j.epsc.2023.102589

Vaginal foreign bodies are infrequent events; their occurrence due to an alkaline battery is far rarer. This report is about a vaginal discharge in a 2-year-old child due to inserting an alkaline battery into her vagina. A 2-year-old child presented with lower abdominal pain, vaginal pain, and brownish-black vaginal discharge for a duration of 7 hours. A physical examination revealed a soft abdomen, while she had a swollen and erythematous vulva. A pelvic X-ray showed a radiopaque shadow of an alkaline battery in the pelvic region. Vaginoscopy was done under general anesthesia using a 9.5 Fr semi-rigid ureteroscope. The battery was grasped and extracted from the vagina using stone grasping forceps. She was discharged on oral and topical antibiotics. Vaginal FBs are a rare phenomenon, especially in children under three years of age. It is essential to recognize that the differential diagnosis of vaginal discharge in young children can be a vaginal FB. •Vaginal foreign bodies are rare genital complaints, particularly in young girls.•Vaginal discharge or bleeding may result from insertion of a foreign body into it.•Only a few reports of this entity have been published, caused by alkaline batteries.