gms | German Medical Science

Background: Ingested corrosive substances produce rapidly upper gastrointestinal tissue injury. Significant absorbtion of the corrosive substance will cause metabolic disorders, hemolysis, acute renal failure and death. Immediate diagnosis and treatment are important in acute stage as well as prevent of long-term complications.

Aim of study: Review age and gender, type of ingested corrosive agents, intent, initial symptoms, clinical and endoscopic findingds.

Material and methods: We analysed retrospectively medical records of all cases with corrosive ingestions treated on our clinic over a period of last 17 years.

Results: There are 358 patients, females (62.84%), males (37.15%), the majority in the age group from 20 to 40 years (45.53%), suicidal intent is dominant (66.75%), mortality rate is 12.29%. Concentrate vinegar acid is most common corrosive agent ingested (48.04%). Pain with nausea and vomiting are leading symptoms (more than 60%). All patients treated according to standard management protocol. Proximal endoscopy is performed in most cases (73.18%). Grade I is the most frequently endoscopic finding (53.81%). Esophageal or gastic cicatrices developed in 8.93% (all grade III and 77% of grade IIb).

Conclusion: Corrosive substance ingestion, especially with suicidal intent, is still common in our practice. Initial symptoms and oral injury are not always in correlation with distal injury degree. Esophagoscopy is only reliable method to assess injury. The prognosis is directly proportional to the degree of tissue damage. Treatment with corticosteroids may help prevent stricture formating.