Catastrophic gastrointestinal injury due to battery acid ingestion.
BACKGROUND
Acids account for 20% of all chemical exposures through various routes. Caustic acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid are common ingredients in many household and industrial products. Due to the corrosive properties of these substances, tissue injury caused by oral exposure can lead to severe esophageal and gastrointestinal burns.


METHODS
We report a case of a patient presenting with severe acidosis, who required multiple laparoscopic evaluations to assess various gastrointestinal tract injuries and who ultimately underwent total gastrectomy. The diagnosis was made primarily based on the arterial blood gas and esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings, as well as the pathological examinations of various biopsied and resected tissues showing hemorrhagic necrosis of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. This patient eventually admitted to having ingested an unspecified amount of battery acid.


CONCLUSIONS
Collaborative efforts by Emergency Medicine, Pathology, and General Surgery services are required for timely diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients after caustic acid exposures.
Franke
Deanna D H
DD
Forensic Toxicology Program, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Davis
Eric G
EG
Woods
Dustin R
DR
Johnson
Robin K
RK
Miller
Frank B
FB
Franklin
Glen A
GA
Jortani
Saeed A
SA
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002424:Caustics / Q000633:toxicity*; D016638:Critical Illness; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002424:Caustics