A toddler, just one year old, miraculously survived after enduring 48 hours with a lithium battery lodged in her esophagus, as reported by the Hospital Infantil Sur Dr. Antonio María Béguez César, also known as "La Colonia," located in Santiago de Cuba.
The incident unfolded when the child was brought to the hospital experiencing breathing difficulties. Upon evaluation in the Emergency Department, doctors discovered a foreign object in her esophagus, shared Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the Party in the province, on Facebook.
She was urgently taken to the operating room, where the surgical team successfully removed the 2032 type battery that had been inside her for two days. The battery caused an erosive injury to the esophageal lining, yet, fortunately, no severe complications arose, according to the regime's official.
Following the procedure, the young girl was moved to the intensive care unit for close monitoring and further treatment. Zaida María León Castellanos, the hospital's surgical deputy director, noted that the child is recovering well, with no complications or fever, and remains under the care of the otolaryngology department.
In her message, Johnson Urrutia praised the medical team's efforts "despite the challenges with supplies."
Cuban doctors continue to urge parents to watch over their children vigilantly to prevent similar accidents. In another incident, a medical team at the "José Martí" Provincial Pediatric Hospital in Sancti Spíritus saved a four-year-old boy's life in January after he accidentally inhaled a metal watch piece.
The incident occurred on December 19, just before the Christmas celebrations, as the child played with a wristwatch, from which a piece detached and lodged in his right lung, reported Radio Sancti Spíritus on its YouTube channel.
Similarly, in April 2024, a two-year-old in Ciego de Ávila underwent surgery after inhaling a foreign object that caused total lung atelectasis and acute respiratory failure. Local specialists, along with those from Villa Clara, performed the procedure, successfully removing the object and stabilizing the child.
In March 2024, another surgical intervention in Santiago de Cuba involved a seven-month-old baby who had swallowed a pin that lodged in the lower part of his throat. The operation proceeded without complications, and the infant was discharged a few days later, showing a positive recovery.
Recently, the case of Liam Carlos Abreu Arévalo, a five-year-old Cuban boy, came to light. He successfully underwent surgery at a pediatric hospital in Havana after accidentally ingesting a coin that became stuck in his stomach.
Child Safety and Foreign Object Incidents in Cuba
What type of battery was involved in the Santiago de Cuba incident?
The battery was a lithium type 2032, commonly used in small electronic devices.
How long was the battery lodged in the child's esophagus?
The battery remained in the child's esophagus for approximately 48 hours before it was removed.
What measures are being advised to prevent similar incidents?
Doctors are advising parents to keep a close watch on young children, ensuring they do not have access to small objects that could be accidentally ingested or inhaled.