A button battery is a single cell, small cylindrical battery made of lithium or alkaline.
Mechanism of Injury
Tissue damage from alkaline injury which causes liquefaction necrosis. Lithium batteries are worse than other batteries as they have a higher capacitance. Even “dead” batteries can cause tissue damage in a moist environment such as the esophageal mucosa.
Read more about the mechanism of injury at the
US Poison Control website
Button Battery Awareness 