MOODY, Texas — On Tuesday, July 21, 2-year-old Karson Guerra swallowed a button battery, leading to emergency surgery.
"She ran in the room and said 'Mommy! Mommy!' and was holding her throat," Mitchell Guerra, Karson's father, said. Her parents, Mitchell and Katlyn, were unaware of what she had swallowed until they arrived at the ER.
"They did three X-Rays [at Hillcrest] and they showed me what it was and said they needed to transfer her to McLane for it to be removed," Katlyn said.
Upon arrival at McLane Children's Hospital, Karson underwent an hour-long surgery to remove the battery.
"They told us it needed to be removed right away because they were afraid it would burn actually through the esophagus, and the trachea, and into the aortic vein in her throat," Mitchell said.
Luckily for Karson, it did not get that bad, but the acid did burn her esophagus in several places, which forced doctors to insert a feeding tube, which she still has.
"That is there so her throat can heal without having to pass food or water," Katlyn said. "But it's also in case her esophagus were to close they have access to go in and expand it."
While the battery was successfully removed doctors said the acid can still cause extensive damage, which could potentially not show up for another two weeks.
"Now we just have to wait, they said future surgeries are possible if it gets to that point," Mitchell said. "But hopefully it's good news in two weeks that the feeding tube can come out."
Karson spent three days at the children's hospital and only one parent was able to stay with her because of COVID-19 restrictions.
She underwent a CT scan on Friday that showed there had been no further damage at this point.
Also on KCENTV.com
- 'She just had that grace': Family mourns 9-year-old Putnam County girl who died of COVID-19, pushes back on schools reopening
- 'She gave everything for us' | Family members donate blood to honor mother lost to COVID-19
- Killeen college student gives back to the community by restoring, giving away computers
- 'PAW Patrol' not canceled: Nickelodeon clears record after White House claim
