Burning Chest Pain

To the Editor: We would like to report a new syndrome to add to the differential diagnosis of chest pain. A 36-year-old male intern who was running to a cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempt noted diaphoresis and shortness of breath associated with this exertion. On returning from the “code,” he experienced an intense, burning pain in the left part of the chest. On palpation, his shirt pocket was warm and he observed smoke rising from the pocket. On further investigation, he discovered that the reserve battery for his beeper was resting between two metallic pens and, by completing a circuit, was generating….