Early operation for severe corrosive injury of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
OBJECTIVE
To describe our experience of treating severe corrosive burns of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract.


METHODS
Open study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, France.


METHODS
18 patients who had swallowed an alkaline substance (caustic soda in 10 cases) and 4 who had swallowed either hydrochloric or sulphuric acid.


METHODS
Endoscopy was done a mean of 4 hours after the substance had been swallowed. 10 patients underwent oesophagogastrectomy without thoracotomy.


METHODS
Morbidity and mortality.


RESULTS
4 of the 10 patients died and 3 developed postoperative complications. Of the 12 patients treated by feeding jejunostomy 7 developed stenosis that required operation and 3 developed stenosis that responded to dilatation. None of the 12 died.


CONCLUSIONS
Early oesophagoscopy allowed optimal management. Patients died if they swallowed more than 60 ml of a strong alkaline substance. When patients are treated conservatively about half will develop stenoses that require operation.
Berthet
B
B
Department of Surgery, Hôpital de la Conception, Marseille, France.
Castellani
P
P
Brioche
M I
MI
Assadourian
R
R
Gauthier
A
A
D000143:Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002424:Caustics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007582:Jejunostomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013270:Stomach / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery
D000143:Acids; D002424:Caustics