In 2013, the National Capital Poison Center reported over 3,000 cases of ingested batteries, with over 2,000 of those occurring in children less than six years old. The button-sized nubs can get stuck in the esophagus, leaving tissue burns, tearing the lining and even causing death. Now, researchers have created a shield that pastes directly onto the the negative terminal of the battery, a prototype of which has proven effective at preventing damage to the esophagus after being swallowed. Jeffrey Karp, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is a co-author of the study.
