Woman Swallows Over 50 Batteries in Ireland, Prompting One of History's Most Daring Medical Surgery

A woman swallowed over 50 batteries in Ireland, as investigation reveals to be an apparent act of deliberate self-harm.

The bizarre case prompted one of history's most daring medical surgery.

Doctors removed a total of 55 batteries, including AA and AAA batteries, from the 66-year old woman, who was treated at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin after ingesting the said electrochemical device.

There are a number of similar medical cases where individuals ingest unusual objects or even insects inside their bodies.

However, the shocking case of the battery-ingesting woman was reportedly proven to be a challenging task for the medical professionals since they had to take out the hardened, toxic batteries from her gut and stomach.

Fortunately, the woman survived the historic surgery.

Ireland Battery Ingestion Incident

(Photo : Photo by Dmitry G via Wikimedia Commons)

The medical case entitled "Management of Cylindrical Battery Ingestion" was published in the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ) on Thursday, September 15.

Health authorities at St. Vincent's University Hospital presented that a female was initially sent to the Emergency Department of the facility due to ingestion of an "unknown number" of cylindrical batteries.

The authorities confirmed the unusual case through an abdominal x-ray, which led to the discovery of the presence of multiple ingested batteries located throughout the woman's abdomen.

The IMJ medical report emphasized that ingestion of cylindrical batteries is a "rare method" of deliberate self-harm which has the potential for several serious health complications, including mucosal injury, obstruction, perforation, and ST segment elevation.

The report concludes that the incidence of severe or fatal battery ingestions are an increasing trend and current treatment methods could be inadequate.

Also Read: Will Charging EV Batteries Be as Effecient as Pumping Fuel?

Abdominal Surgery

The medical surgery involved a trial of conservative management type of operation.

It paved the way for the removal of five AA batteries passed the rectum. A series of x-rays conducted for over three weeks showed that majority of the batteries failed to pass.

As a result, the doctors decided to perform the process of laparotomy, removing 46 cylindrical batteries from the stomach through a small gastrotomy.

Meanwhile, the remaining four batteries in the colon were sucked into the rectum and removed by using a 'trans anal' route.

The health officials confirm the woman will make a recovery following the successful abdominal surgery.

Battery Ingestion Cases

Most cases of eating batteries published in medical journals show instances of a child swallowing small, button-like batteries, the report elaborates, as cited by Science Alert.

The doctors said that the case represents the highest recorded number of ingested batteries and is an unusual phenomenon.

Batteries contain dangerous chemical that can be extremely harmful to a child's digestive system, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Growing evidence also showed that battery ingestion among adults can also be harmful and even lethal.

In late August, a report published in the journal Pediatrics found that there is an increasing number of children eating small lithium batteries, also called as "button batteries."

Between 2010 to 2019, approximately 7,032 cases were recorded in emergency rooms, according to the said report, as cited by CNN.