A three-year-old child developed a large tracheo-oesophageal fistula secondary to a button battery being lodged in the upper oesophagus for 36 hours. The diagnosis was confirmed with a contrast swallow. Operative access was gained through a combined right cervical incision and complete median sternotomy. Repair of the fistula required a segmental resection of both the trachea and oesophagus followed by primary anastomosis.