title: Features and management of esophageal corrosive lesions in children in Sierra Leone: lessons learned from 175 consecutive patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to highlight the peculiar presentation and management of children's corrosive ingestions in developing countries associated with malnutrition, delay in management, lack of technology, and sporadic follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was carried out since 2005 on all children (<15 years old) admitted for caustic soda ingestion to the "Emergency" Surgical Center in Sierra Leone, either in the acute postinjury phase or for dilatation of esophageal strictures. Complications, mortality, stricture recurrence, and ability to swallow were the main outcome measures. Improvement in nutritional status (ie, gaining weight) and sustained esophageal patency were both considered reference points to successful treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 4 years (2005-2009), 175 children were admitted, 53.7% at more than 1 month after ingestion. Dilatations were carried out in 77.7%, and a gastrostomy was placed in 64%. Perforations and death rate were 4.5% and 2.8%, respectively. Sixty-two patients (35.4%) required more than 7 dilatations, whereas 15 (8.5%) were unable to maintain a satisfactory luminal diameter. Follow-up (range, 1-36 months; median, 7 months) was possible in 52.7%. Long-term success according to the aforementioned criteria was observed in only 16%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delayed presentations and complex strictures with repeated postdilatation recurrence are characteristics of children's corrosive ingestion in developing countries. Malnutrition is common, and gastrostomy is frequently compulsory. Esophageal patency with improvement in nutritional state is achieved only in a small percentage of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Parma, Parma 43100, Italy. sandro.contini@unipr.it
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scarpignato
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002424:Caustics / Q000633:toxicity*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012807:Sierra Leone; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide