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Background: Caustic ingestions are relatively uncommon, but remain a significant source of morbidity. Patients with caustic injury often undergo an urgent EGD, although it is not clear if an EGD is routinely needed in an asymptomatic patient. The study has two primary objectives; 1) to determine the utility of routine EGD in asymptomatic suicidal caustic ingestions; 2) to determine if asymptomatic unintentional acidic ingestions can be managed with observation alone, similar to basic ingestions., Methods: This retrospective study, which took place at 14 hospitals in three countries evaluated all patients who presented with a caustic ingestion between 2014-2020. The presence of symptoms and esophageal injury, demographic information, pH of ingested substance, reason for the ingestion, and outcome were recorded., Results: 409 patients were identified; 203 (46.9%) were male. The median (IQR) age was 18 (4-31) years; overall range 10 months to 78 years. Suicidal ingestions accounted for 155 (37.9%) of cases. Dysphagia or dysphonia were more likely in those with significant esophageal injury compared to those without (59.3% vs. 12.6% respectively; OR 10.1; 95% CI 4.43-23.1). Among 27 patients with significant esophageal injury, 48% were found in suicidal patients, compared with 51.9% in non-suicidal patients (p = NS). On multivariate regression, there was no difference in the rate of significant esophageal injury among suicidal vs. non suicidal patients (aOR 1.55; p = 0.45, 95% CI 0.45-5.33). Most ingestions involved basic substances (332/409; 81.2%). Unknown or mixed ingestions accounted for 25 (6.11%) of the ingestions. Significant esophageal burns were found in 6/52 (11.5%) of acid ingestions, compared with 21/332 (6.3%) of basic ingestions. Of the 42 cases of acidic ingestions without dysphagia or odynophagia, 2 (4.8%; 0.58-16.1%) had significant esophageal burns, compared with 9 (3.2%; 95% CI 1.4-5.9%) of the 284 basic ingestions; p = 0.64). On multivariate logistic regression, patients with acidic ingestions were not more likely to experience a significant burn (aOR 1.7; p = 0.11, 95% CI 0.9-3.1) compared to those with basic ingestions. No patient with significant esophageal burns was asymptomatic., Conclusion: In this study, there was no statistical differences in the rates of significant burns between acidic and basic caustic ingestions. There were no significant esophageal injuries noted among asymptomatic patients., (© 2024. American College of Medical Toxicology.)

Background: Children who experience alkaline injury are at risk for the development of esophageal strictures and the need for esophageal dilations., Objective: We aimed to assess predictors for a higher number of esophageal dilatations in children following alkali ingestion., Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study including children who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) after alkali ingestion. Possible predictive factors for the need for esophageal dilatations were evaluated., Results: A total of 34 patients were included, and 19 were female (55.9%). The median age at the time of the accidents was 20.6 months (IQR 15-30.7). All alkali ingestions were accidental, in all cases involving liquid products, and most (24/34; 70%) occurred at the child's home. Homemade liquid soap was the agent in half of the cases. The most frequently reported symptom at presentation was vomiting (22/34, 64.7%). The median follow-up time was 3.2 years (IQR 1.1-7.4). On follow-up, the median number of esophageal dilatations required for these patients was 12.5 (IQR 0-34). Among demographic factors, male gender (P=0.04), ingestion of homemade products (P<0.01), and accidents happening outside of the household environment (P=0.02) were associated with a greater number of esophageal dilations on follow-up. An endoscopic classification Zargar of 2B or higher (P=0.03), the presence of stricture at the time of the second EGD (P=0.01), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a late complication (P=0.01) were also associated with a greater number of esophageal dilations on long term follow-up., Conclusion: Beyond the endoscopic classification severity - a well-known risk factor for the strictures after alkali ingestions, we found that male gender, accidents with homemade products, and accidents occurring outside the household environment were significantly associated with a greater number of esophageal dilatations in the long-term follow-up of children following alkali ingestion.

Purpose: Caustic ingestion is a potential life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Data on patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for severe caustic ingestion are lacking. We aimed to describing epidemiological features and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for caustic ingestion in France., Methods: In a retrospective, observational, and multicenter study, data from the national French Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Informations (PMSI) database were analysed from 2013 to 2019. In-hospital mortality rate (primary outcome) and in-ICU complications (secondary outcomes) were reported and analysed., Results: 569 patients (289 males (50.8%), with median age of 49 years [interquartile (26-62)] were admitted in 65 French ICU for severe caustic ingestion. Five hundred and thirteen patients (90%) were admitted for intentional caustic ingestion. The median length of stay in ICU was 14.0 [4.0-31.0] days. In-hospital mortality occurred in 56 patients (9.8%). In multivariate analysis, age and simplified acute physiology score II were associated with in-hospital mortality age of 40-59 years [OR = 15.3 (2.0-115.3)], age of 60-79 years [OR = 23.6 (3.1-182.5)], and age > 80 years [OR = 37.0 (4.2-328.6)] and SAPS 2 score [OR = 1.0018 (1.003-1.033), p < 0.001]. During ICU stay, 423 complications (74%) were reported in 505 patients (89%). Infectious (244 (42.9%)), respiratory (207 (36.4%)), surgical 62 (10.9%), haemorrhagic (64 (11.2%)) and thrombo-embolic and (35 (6.2%)) complications were the most frequently reported during ICU stay., Conclusion: ICU admission for severe caustic ingestion is associated with 9.8% mortality and 74% complications. Age > 40 years and SAPS 2 score were independently associated with mortality., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Toilet cleaner containing hydrochloric acid is a common item found in households all over the world. Due to the availability of the substance, it becomes one of the main contributors to corrosive damage to the gastrointestinal system. This study reports a case of a female in her 50s with an alleged history of ingestion of toilet cleaner an empty bottle of which was found together with a suicide note at the incident site. During the autopsy, the forensic expert made an intriguing observation regarding the dispersion of ingested acid to other organs without gastric perforation. Despite the absence of gastric perforation, the corrosive effects of the ingested acid were evident in various organs, including the liver and spleen. This phenomenon suggests a unique mechanism by which the acid is able to disperse and cause damage beyond the stomach, leading to widespread organ involvement. However, through a comprehensive analysis of the detailed history, typical macroscopic autopsy findings, and chemical analysis reports, it is possible to establish that the cause of death is corrosive acid poisoning. In such cases, further investigation is warranted to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the dispersion of the acid and its clinical implications. By delving deeper into these aspects, we can enhance our knowledge and contribute to the field of forensic medicine., (Copyright © 2024 by PTMSiK.)

Importance: Caustic ingestion in adults may result in death or severe digestive sequelae. The scarcity of nationwide epidemiological data leads to difficulties regarding the applicability of their analysis to less specialized centers, which are nevertheless largely involved in the emergency management of adverse outcomes following caustic ingestion., Objective: To assess outcomes associated with caustic ingestion in adults across a nationwide prospective database., Design, Settings, and Participants: Adult patients aged 16 to 96 admitted to the emergency department for caustic ingestion between January 2010 and December 2019 were identified from the French Medical Information System Database, which includes all patients admitted in an emergency setting in hospitals in France during this period., Exposure: Esophageal caustic ingestion., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was in-hospital patient outcomes following caustic ingestion. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess independent predictors of in-hospital morbidity and mortality., Results: Among 22 657 226 patients admitted on an emergency outpatient basis, 3544 (0.016%) had ingested caustic agents and were included in this study. The median (IQR) age in this population was 49 (34-63) years, and 1685 patients (48%) were women. Digestive necrosis requiring resection was present during the primary hospital stay in 388 patients with caustic ingestion (11%). Nonsurgical management was undertaken in 3156 (89%). A total of 1198 (34%) experienced complications, and 294 (8%) died. Pulmonary complications were the most frequent adverse event, occurring in 869 patients (24%). On multivariate analysis, predictors of mortality included old age, high comorbidity score, suicidal ingestion, intensive care unit admission during management, emergency surgery for digestive necrosis, and treatment in low-volume centers. On multivariate analysis, predictors of morbidity included old age, higher comorbidity score, intensive care unit admission during management, and emergency surgery for digestive necrosis., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, referral to expert centers was associated with improved early survival after caustic ingestion. If feasible, low-volume hospitals should consider transferring patients to larger centers instead of attempting on-site management.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate long-term QOL after caustic ingestion., Background: Caustic ingestion strongly affects patient's QOL but data on the topic is scarce in the literature., Methods: QOL evaluation was conducted in survivors from a large cohort of patients with caustic injuries. QOL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-OG25 module, the SF12v2 score, and the hospital anxiety and depression scale questionnaire. One hundred thirty-four patients (59 men, median age 43) completed the survey; 72 (54%) patients underwent emergency digestive resection and in 99 (74%) patients underwent esophageal reconstruction. Results of QOL questionnaires were compared to average values determined in healthy volunteers and in patients with esophageal cancers., Results: The median QLQ-OG25 score was 44 (34, 62) and values were significantly lower when compared to a normal population (P < 0.0001). SF12v2 scores were significantly inferior to those expected in a normal population on both the physical component summary (PCS) (43.3 ± 10.8; P < 0.0001) and the mental component summary (44 ± 9.7; P < 0.0001) scales. Emergency esophageal resection was significantly associated with higher QLQ-OG25 scores (P < 0.0001), but not with mental component summary (P = 0.3), PCS (P = 0.76), HAD anxiety (P = 0.95), and HAD depression scores (P = 0.59); results were similar after extended emergency resection. When compared to esophagocoloplasty alone, pharyngeal reconstruction had a significant negative impact on QLQ-OG25 (P < 0.0001), PCS (P = 0.01), and HAD depression (P = 0.0008) scores., Conclusions: QOL is significantly impaired after caustic ingestion. QOL issues should not influence the emergency surgical strategy but deserve discussion before esophageal reconstruction for caustic injuries., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Corrosive ingestion is a significant challenge for healthcare systems. Limited data are available regarding the best treatments, and there remains a lack of consensus about the optimal surgical approach and its outcomes. This study aims to review the current literature and show a single institution's experience regarding the surgical treatment of esophageal stenosis due to corrosive substance ingestion., Methods: A retrospective review that accounted for demographics, psychiatric profiles, surgical procedures, and outcomes was performed. A systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed., Results: In total, 27 surgical procedures for esophageal stenosis due to corrosive substance ingestion were performed from 2010 to 2019. Depression and drug abuse were diagnosed in 30% and 22% of the included patients, respectively. Esophagectomies and esophageal bypasses were performed in 13 and 14 patients, respectively. No 30-day mortality was recorded., Conclusion: Surgical intervention either by esophagectomy or esophageal bypass results in durable relief from dysphagia. However, successful clinical outcomes depend on a high-quality multidisciplinary network of esophageal and thoracic surgeons, intensivists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and nutritional teams., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

In this case from 1937, the deceased was a 52-year-old female who was suffering from systemic cysticercosis, with prominent neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Given the protracted clinical course and autopsy findings it appears likely that the disease led the woman to commit suicide by ingesting lye, a corrosive substance, and the most common way to commit suicide in Belgrade at the time. The autopsy revealed many rounded transparent cysts, attached to the dura and pia-arachnoid, as well as encapsulated in the intercostal muscles, diaphragm and muscles of the arms, legs and the trunk. Solitary cysticercosis of muscles without involvement of the central nervous system is rare: most soft tissue and muscular cysticercal infections are associated with the central nervous system. Parasites usually lodge in the cerebral cortex or the subcortical white matter, due to the high vascular supply of these areas. Psychiatric symptoms in neurocysticercosis have been frequently reported, along with cognitive decline and intellectual deterioration, depressive disorders, behavioral disturbance and psychosis. Although sporadically, the disease is present even today, and neurocysticercosis is the leading cause of epilepsy in the developing world. To maintain its lifecycle, Taenia solium requires non-industrialized pig rearing conditions, consumption of undercooked pork, and low sanitation standards. Socioeconomic and sanitary improvement and educating people about food processing, the disease and antihelminthic therapy, are important factors contributing to a significant reduction in the prevalence of this potentially eradicable disease worldwide.

Objective: To evaluate the demographic characteristics, endoscopy results, emerging complications and the final status of caustic intake cases admitted to our emergency department., Method: This study is a retrospective one concerning patients admitted to our emergency department due to caustic ingestion. Demographic characteristics of the patients, complaints while applying to the hospital, physical examination findings, the purpose of caustic intake, the characteristics of corrosive substance taken, times of endoscopy following admission to the emergency department, follow-up times in the emergency department, endoscopic staging and outcome. The data were analyzed through IBM SPSS Statistics Base 22.0 package program., Results: Seventy four patients participated in the study. 83.8% of corrosive substance intake cases were accidental and 16.2% cases were suicidal intention. While 60.8% of the corrosive substances taken had alkaline property, 36.5% were acidic and 2.7% were found to be unknown substances. 50% of the corrosive substance intakes were sodium hypochlorite. It was seen that endoscopy was performed in 59 patients who accepted endoscopy within an average of 244.07 min after admission to the emergency department. While no damage could be seen in 55.9% of patients following endoscopy, the most common injury was Grade 1 (35.6%)., Conclusion: Corrosive substance intake is a rare but potentially devastating poisoning with high morbidity and mortality. Mucosal injury begins within minutes following corrosive intake. Therefore, early endoscopy is helpful in assessing the degree of injury and early discharge from hospital., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Habits such as smoking and alcohol drinking and existing esophageal malfunction are considered the main risk factors for esophageal carcinogenesis. Caustic ingestion of acidic or alkaline agents or strong irritants can induce severe esophageal corrosive injury and increase esophageal cancer risk. We studied the relationship between esophageal carcinoma and acute detergent or pesticide poisoning by using nationwide health insurance data. Methodology/Principle findings: We compared a pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort (N = 21,840) and an age- and gender-matched control cohort (N = 21,840) identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2000 and 2011. We used the multivariable Cox proportional model to determine esophageal carcinoma risk. The overall incidence density of esophageal cancer was 1.66 per 10,000 person-years in the comparison cohort and 4.36 per 10,000 person-years in the pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for esophageal cancer was 2.33 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41-3.86) in the pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort compared with the control cohort. Patients with corrosive and detergent intoxication did not have a higher risk of esophageal cancer (adjusted HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.29-3.33) than those without pesticide/detergent intoxication. However, patients with pesticide intoxication had a significantly higher risk of esophageal cancer (adjusted HR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.52-4.18) than those without pesticide/detergent intoxication. Conclusion: In the present study, after adjusting for conventional risk factors, we observed that pesticide intoxication could exert substantial effects through increased esophageal cancer risk. However, patients with detergent intoxication may not have an increased risk of esophageal cancer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction: Serious caustic burns of the stomach that present with no clinico-biological severity criteria (CBSC) can be treated conservatively. However, even if there are no CBSC at admission, 20% of patients still require delayed emergency surgery for peritonitis due to gastric perforation thus showing the limitations of this strategy in the diagnosis of irreversible gastric necrosis lesions. The aim of this study was to identify reliable computed tomography (CT) signs of irreversible gastric necrosis in patients with stage 3 endoscopic lesions., Patients and Methods: In a prospective study from March 2014 to January 2017, thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT scan was performed in 30 consecutive patients with stage 3 endoscopic gastric lesions. The CT results were concealed from the clinicians and compared to CBSC results., Results: Twenty patients were treated conservatively and ten patients were operated on. Seventy percent of the patients underwent urgent delayed surgery for symptoms that developed late but before alterations in the CBSC. The CT scan showed a perfusion defect (PD) of gastric mucosal enhancement in all patients operated on for gastrointestinal distress, and could have provided an early diagnosis of irreversible gastric necrosis., Conclusion: CT was a more effective diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of irreversible gastric necrosis following caustic ingestion than a strategy based on digestive endoscopy and the use of CBSC. CT could eventually replace gastrointestinal endoscopy in the emergency evaluation of gastroesophageal caustic burns., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Household cleaners are an unavoidable entity in our routine domestic life. They are available either in company-labeled bottles or locally made unlabeled bottles especially in the developing countries. In this report, we are discussing a case of fatal ingestion of household cleaner, which was stored in an unlabeled bottle. The deceased developed features of gastrointestinal irritation, such as vomiting and pain in throat and abdomen. He also had features of aspiration such as cough and chest crepitation. Finally, he developed metabolic acidosis, gastric perforation, respiratory failure, and died within a day. The autopsy features such as teeth discoloration, corrosion of mouth and lips, and histopathological findings helped us in concluding that the ingredients contained some corrosive mineral acid. This case highlights the importance of histopathological examination of viscera in alleged cases of household cleaner poisoning where toxicological analysis of viscera gives negative results.

Introduction: Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the role of illicit drug use in suicide behaviour., Aim: To assess patients with opioid use disorder and suicidal intent related to behavior, severity of acute poisoning and the most commonly used non-opioid substances., Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study included 67 patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder. The study was conducted at the University Clinic of Toxicology in Skopje over a 5-year period (2013-2017). The following variables were examined: gender, age, duration and route of opioid administration, duration of hospitalization, and types of substances used in acute poisoning. Assessment of patients’ behavior and severity of poisoning was made by using the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised and the Poison severity score., Results: The majority of patients were male (88.1%). The mean age of patients was 30±6.1 years. The average duration of opioid use disorder was 8.5±3.9. A single poisoning was found in 62.7%, double poisoning in 25.4%, and triple poisoning in 11.9% of participants. Benzodiazepines were most commonly used by the patients (55.2%). The largest number of patients (32.8%) had minor Poison severity score (PSS), and only 17.9% had severe PSS. None of the patients had a fatal suicide attempt. 86.6% of patients had a score of ≥7 indicating a high risk of repeat suicide attempts., Conclusion: Benzodiazepines were most commonly used as a single or combined substance in patients with opioid use disorder. PSS indicated that most of the participants were with minor PSS and with high risk of a repeat suicide attempt., (This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Corrosive chemical substance ingestions are a major problem, especially in developing countries, but also in developed countries such as the United States, France, and Belgium. Ingestions may be deliberate as suicide attempts (mostly in adolescents and adults) or accidental (mostly in children). The results can be devastating in terms of individual suffering and disability, but also in terms of resource utilization and costs. In developing countries, outcomes may be worse because of limited medical/surgical resources. Common sequelae include gastrointestinal (GI) tract (esophagus, stomach, pylorus, and duodenum) stricture formation, GI tract perforation, and hemorrhage. Systemic effects may also occur, such as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), multi-organ system failure, and sepsis. Various interventions in the acute phase to reduce the severity of injury have been attempted, but there are no large controlled clinical trials to demonstrate efficacy. Dilation therapy in various forms is commonly used for the treatment of strictures and a variety of surgical procedures including esophagectomy and delayed replacement may be required in severe corrosive injury cases.

Background: There is no consensus for esophageal reconstruction in the pediatric population. Long defects are commonly repaired with gastric pull-up or colonic interposition; however, jejunal interposition offers several potential advantages in children. One historical concern with jejunal interposition has been the risk of flap infarction following transposition. The use of neck and intrathoracic vessels to "supercharge" the jejunum has been reported in adults. This study reports outcomes of supercharged jejunal interposition in pediatric and young adult patients with long esophageal defects., Methods: The authors reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent supercharged jejunal interposition for esophageal reconstruction at their institution from 2013 to 2017. The authors collected data pertaining to patient characteristics, operative technique, and postoperative outcomes., Results: Twenty patients, 10 female and 10 male, aged 1.4 to 23.8 years, underwent esophageal reconstruction with supercharged jejunal interposition and were followed for a median of 1.4 years. Seventeen patients had a primary diagnosis of long-gap esophageal atresia, and three required reconstruction following caustic ingestion. Eighty percent of patients had undergone prior attempts at surgical reconstruction. Postoperatively, all conduits demonstrated coordinated peristalsis, and no flap losses were noted. Major complications occurred in seven patients, stricture dilation was performed in four patients, and there was no mortality., Conclusions: Jejunal interposition with supercharging can be safely performed for management of long esophageal gaps in the pediatric setting; it is useful where the stomach or colon has been used previously or is unavailable. Long-term outcome studies are required to determine whether jejunal interposition provides a more durable and safe conduit than gastric pull-up or colonic interposition over time., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Introduction: The ingestion of a caustic agent is the most common cause of admission after being in contact with a domestic product. A group of patients could be considered low risk and not require aggressive procedures such a corticosteroid administration and endoscopy, especially in the paediatric population., Objective: To evaluate the safety and benefit of a less aggressive protocol for patients defined as low risk., Material and Methods: An analytical-observational study conducted on patients who consulted for caustic ingestion between January 2011 and December 2015. Two periods were differentiated according to the current protocol. Period-1: usual protocol (which included admission and parenteral corticosteroid and antibiotic administration) and Period-2: less aggressive protocol for the low risk patients (oral intake test after 6hours and discharged if they remained asymptomatic). Low risk patients were considered as those who met the following criteria: unintentional intake, absence of symptoms and oral lesions. In the rest of the patients the usual protocol was performed. Re-admission with a diagnosis of digestive lesions was considered as a complication., Results: Forty-eight patients were included in period 1, and 35 in period 2. In period 2, thirteen patients met low risk criteria. The adherence to the less aggressive protocol was 100%. None of the low risk patients required admission or endoscopy after discharge. In period 1 the adherence to the usual protocol was 60.4%. Six patients would have benefited from the application of the less aggressive protocol., Conclusions: Adopting a more conservative attitude in low risk patients is safe. These patients benefit from clinical observation, without performing more aggressive measures with their possible iatrogenic adverse effects., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of our study was to discuss the epidemiological features of self-poisoning suicide in Northern Tunisia., Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study, including all the cases of fatal self-poisoning suicide occurring between January 2005 and December 2015., Results: In the study period, 204 cases of self-poisoning suicide occurred in northern Tunisia, with a prevalence of 0.44 cases/100 000 inhabitants/year. Among these cases, 59% were females (the sex ratio was 0.69). The mean age was 34 ± 15.3 years-old. The most common age group of the victims (28.4%) was between 20 and 29 years old. Victims were unemployed in 45% of cases and single at the time of suicide in 52%. None of the victims left a suicide note. Self-poisonings were due to the ingestion of drugs (52.5%), pesticides (42.6%), caustic products (5.5%) and Butane gas (1 case)., Conclusions: Fatal casualties of self-poisoning in Tunisia are frequently young, single, unemployed women. This pattern would allow planning of targeted preventive measures., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Background: Caustic ingestion in pediatrics is a common cause of visits to the Emergency Department. An indiscriminate use of cleaning chemicals and an easy access to them are determining factors for these injuries., Population and Methods: Descriptive, analytical study. Children aged < 16 years hospitalized between January 1998 and December 2017 were included. The ingested caustic substance was identified as acid or alkaline. A gastrointestinal endoscopy was done to establish the burn grade. The grade of the burn was compared to the type of caustic substance using the χ2 test or the Fisher's exact test; a P value < 0.05 was considered significant., Results: A total of 133 children were admitted to the Emergency Department due to caustic ingestion. The caustic agent was acid in 41 % of cases and alkaline, in 59 %. The most common acid caustic substance was muriatic acid (36.8 %) and the most common alkaline caustic agent was caustic soda (41.4 %). An esophageal burn was the most common consequence of caustic soda ingestion compared to other caustic agents (p = 0.001), whereas muriatic acid ingestion was the most statistically significant cause of stomach burn (p = 0.001) and duodenal burn (p = 0.002). The age group that most commonly ingested some caustic agent (93.2 %) corresponded to children younger than 5 years., Conclusions: The most common type of ingested caustic agent was alkaline, which caused esophageal burn; whereas, the ingestion of an acid caustic substance caused stomach and duodenal burns, as evidenced by endoscopy., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Oral chemical burn injuries induce more damage to the underlying tissues with extensive scarring. It is very well known that alkali causes severe liquefaction necrosis and injury to the deeper tissues. Pediatric facial burns must be managed thoroughly and always require complex reconstruction, which is a challenging process. So, any reconstructive surgeon must be aware of all the deformities that may have significant functional and aesthetic impact on the burn survivors especially children. Few medical studies addressed pediatric microsurgical reconstruction for oral burn injuries induced by chemical materials. Anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap is a common flap with a multitude of indications. The purpose of this article is to present the youngest case in the medical literature of caustic intraoral scarring managed with a very thin free anterolateral thigh flap in a 14-month-old child who underwent reconstruction of his inner cheek, the angle of the mouth and tongue using supermicrosurgery techniques. Further development of the surgical techniques is required to establish early and safe intraoral pediatric microsurgery with a long-term follow-up.

Endoscopy is generally speculated to be unnecessary in sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) ingestions; however, a significant number of endoscopic evaluations are still being performed when this chemical is ingested. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to compare the outcome and endoscopic findings between patients who had ingested household NaClO and those who had ingested other types of corrosives. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 137 patients with a history of corrosive substance ingestion admitted to a tertiary hospital. Data were extracted from hospital records, and interviews were performed on follow-up. Demographic characteristics, endoscopic findings, and patient outcome were compared between those who had ingested household NaClO and those who ingested other corrosives (NaClO and control cohorts, respectively). Most patients (73%) had attempted suicide. Dysphonia (P ≤ .001), dysphagia (P = .04), and mouth burns (P = .047) were significantly different between the NaClO and control cohorts. Furthermore, patients who had dysphonia, dysphagia, skin burns, drooling, hematemesis, retrosternal pain, and abnormal abdominal examination were prone to death or severe complications. None of the NaClO cohort patients had severe endoscopic complications. All patients in the NaClO cohort survived without any sequelae (Odds Ratio (OR) [95% Confidence Interval (CI)] = 0.87 [0.80-0.94]) while 6 and 5 patients died and developed severe complications in the control cohort, respectively. Studies on endoscopic evaluations in patients who ingested household NaClO are scarce. Our results show that if there are no major clinical manifestations, urgent endoscopic evaluations are unnecessary in such patients.

Introduction: Oven cleaning products contain corrosive substances, typically sodium or potassium hydroxide., Objective: To determine the reported toxicity from exposure to oven cleaning products., Methods: Telephone enquiries to the UK National Poisons Information Service regarding oven cleaning products were analysed retrospectively for the period January 2009 to December 2015., Results: There were 796 enquiries relating to 780 patients. Ninety-six percent of the products involved in the reported exposures contained sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide. Ingestion alone (n = 285) or skin contact alone (n = 208) accounted for the majority of cases; inhalation alone (n = 101), eye contact alone (n = 97), and multiple routes of exposure (n = 89) accounted for the remainder. Ninety-five percent of patients exposed by inhalation, 94% exposed dermally and 85% reporting eye exposure, developed features of toxicity. Patients exposed by multiple routes developed symptoms in 70% of cases. Only 103 of the 285 patients ingested oven cleaner directly, whereas 182 patients ingested food they considered to have been contaminated with oven cleaner. In 100 of the 103 direct ingestions where the features and World Health Organisation/International Programme on Chemical Safety/European Commission/European Association of Poison Centres and Clinical Toxicologists Poisoning Severity Score were known, 56 reported symptoms which were minor in 51 cases. The most common features following ingestion were vomiting (n = 26), abdominal pain (n = 22) or pharyngitis (n = 15). Skin burns (n = 91) predominantly involving the hands or arms, occurred in 44% of dermal exposures. Following inhalation, patients frequently developed respiratory features (n = 52) including coughing and chest pain/tightness. Eye pain (n = 43) and conjunctivitis (n = 33) commonly occurred following ocular exposure., Conclusions: Most (71%) patients exposed to an oven cleaner irrespective of the route of exposure developed features of toxicity, though in most cases only minor features developed; moderate or severe features ensued in ∼4%. Those patients exposed dermally, ophthalmically or by inhalation developed features more frequently (≥85%) than those who ingested a product directly (56%).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the esophagographic and CT findings of corrosive esophageal cancer., Materials and Methods: The records of all patients who presented with corrosive esophageal strictures at one institution between June 1989 and April 2015 were retrospectively identified. The search yielded the records of 15 patients with histopathologically proven esophageal cancer. Esophagograms (13 patients) and chest CT images (14 patients) were interpreted independently by two reviewers. Esophagographic findings included the location of tumor, morphologic type, presence and length of mucosal irregularity, presence of asymmetric involvement, and presence of rigidity. CT findings included presence and type of esophageal wall thickening, pattern of enhancement, presence of periesophageal infiltration, and presence of hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy., Results: Esophagography showed that the tumor was involved with the stenotic portion in 10 of the 13 patients (76.9%). The most common morphologic feature was a polypoid mass, in 10 patients. In 12 patients (92.3%), mucosal irregularities were observed; the mean affected length was 4.92 cm. Asymmetric involvement and rigidity were observed in nine patients (69.2%). On CT scans, eccentric wall thickening was observed in 10 of the 14 patients (71.4%), homogeneous enhancement in nine (64.2%), and periesophageal infiltration in 11 (78.5%)., Conclusion: Esophagography commonly shows corrosive esophageal cancer as a polypoid mass with long-segment mucosal irregularities at the stenotic portion, asymmetric involvement, and rigidity. CT shows eccentric esophageal wall thickening with homogeneous enhancement and periesophageal infiltration, which are suggestive of the development of malignancy in patients with corrosive esophageal strictures.

Objective: The study purpose was to report the indications, technical aspects, and outcomes of cervicosternolaparotomy during revision surgery after esophageal reconstruction for caustic injuries., Methods: Patients who underwent cervicosternolaparotomy during revision surgery for graft dysfunction between 1999 and 2015 were included. Cervicosternolaparotomy was performed to mobilize and pull up the primary conduit during surgery for strictures (rescue cervicosternolaparotomy) or to allow retrosternal access for management of other graft-related complications (exposure cervicosternolaparotomy). Statistical tests were performed to identify factors associated with primary conduit preservation during rescue cervicosternolaparotomy., Results: Fifty-five patients were included (28 men; median age, 43 years). Median delay between primary reconstruction and cervicosternolaparotomy was 15 months. Exposure cervicosternolaparotomy was performed in 12 patients (22%) for redundancy (n = 8), spontaneous perforation (n = 2), and caustic reingestion (n = 2). Rescue cervicosternolaparotomy was performed in 43 patients (78%) to treat supra-anastomotic (n = 11), anastomotic (n = 23), and diffuse (n = 9) stenosis. During rescue cervicosternolaparotomy, the primary conduit was preserved in 32 patients; median length gain obtained by transplant release was 8 cm. Failure to preserve the primary conduit was associated with previous surgical repair attempts (P = .003) and lack of initial concomitant pharyngeal reconstruction (P = .039). Two patients died (4%), and 35 patients (64%) experienced operative complications. Operative outcomes were similar after rescue and exposure cervicosternolaparotomy. With a median follow-up of 4.4 years, the functional success rate was 85%., Conclusions: Cervicosternolaparotomy during revision surgery for graft dysfunction is reliable, is associated with low morbidity and mortality, and has good results., (Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Vinegar is a clear colorless liquid that commercially consists of 5% acetic acid. It has numerous benefits in everyday use, including culinary, medical, and cleaning. The ingestion of concentrated acetic acid is strongly discouraged and may have detrimental consequences, such as acute pancreatitis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, gastric and hepatic complications, upper airway obstruction, or death. We report the first case in the literature of a 5-year-old boy who experienced a sudden death due to ingestion of distilled white vinegar. The manner was homicide. There was evidence of nonfatal blunt force impacts of the head, trunk, and extremities. A pungent aromatic odor of the viscera, gastric/small bowel contents, and cranial cavity was noted at autopsy. A dusky gray discoloration of the gastric mucosa, small bowel, and pancreas was observed. Forensic pathologists should consider ingestion of vinegar when confronted with a compelling history as well as an aromatic odor suggesting vinegar and dusky gray discoloration of the gastric mucosa and small bowel. While vinegar is a common household item and has several advantages, it may prove fatal if ingested in large quantities., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We present a case of caustic ingestion by a 1.5-year-old boy. The caustic agent was drain opener which is a strong alkaline substance. Children in Iran and many other countries are still exposed to not "child proof" (child resistant packaging) toxic substance containers. Ingestion of caustic agents may lead to necrosis, perforation, and strictures. Substances that are ingested more frequently are liquid alkali material which causes severe, deep liquefaction necrosis. Common signs and symptoms of caustic agents are vomiting, drooling, refusal to drink, oral burns, stridor, hematemesis, dyspnea, dysphagia and abdominal pain. Even if no oropharyngeal lesion is seen, a significant esophageal injury which can lead to perforation and stricture cannot be ruled out. If abdominal pain or rigidity, substernal, chest or back pain exists, visceral perforation should be considered. The first thing to be checked is airway assessment. A lot of patients should be admitted to intensive care unit, and endoscopic evaluation, surgical intervention, long-term hospitalization, and worsening quality of life or among the complications. Preventive measures especially at the country level and approving proper legislation for obligating the related industries to produce child proof containers for house hold toxic products are the urgent measures to be followed by all of us.

Background: The optimal clinical management of patients following ingestion of potentially caustic lesions is still undetermined. In particular, the indication for early upper GI endoscopy in this context remains unclear., Purpose: To draft recommendations regarding the use of early upper GI endoscopy following hospital admissions of patients after ingestion of potentially caustic agents., Methods: For this purpose, a retrospective cohort study of patients treated for ingestion of potentially caustic substances during a 13 year-period at the university hospital of Berne was performed., Results: In total, 61 patients with acute ingestion of potentially caustic substances were identified. Overall mortality was 5 %. 11/61 patients had to be admitted to the intensive care unit. Most ingestions were performed in suicidal intention (62 %). In 53 % of these patients, a combined ingestion of several substances occurred. In 33 % of patients, an early upper GI endoscopy was performed within 24 hours after ingestion. The degree of burn depended upon the hazard potential of the respective substance. In patients with ingestion of low risk substances, upper GI endoscopy was only performed when additional risk factors were present., Conclusion: Based upon the results of the present study, ingestion of potentially caustic agents requires an individualized strategy whether or not to perform early endoscopy., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

The ingestion of corrosive substances is a widely treated topic in clinical and forensic practice, as an accidental event or as a consequence of voluntary assumption to commit suicide. However, thorough macroscopic and microscopic surveys focused on the correlation between the ingestion of the substance and different survival times have never been performed. Are the ingestion and the metabolism of the substance within the human tissues still recognizable? How could it be related to death? The study concerns a retrospective analysis on ten cases (two accidental, eight suicides) of lethal ingestion of different types of liquid caustic substances, without instant death and survival times ranging from 12 h to 6 months. For each case, a full autopsy and histological examination of the internal organs were performed. The results showed that the early direct effect of the substances is exerted mainly on the gastrointestinal tract, but as survival time increased, the metabolism of the substance exerted its effects in different target organs. When the cause of death was not directly linkable to the ingestion of the substance (i.e., related to cardiac stress, electrolyte disorders, pneumonia) and macroscopic findings were nonspecific, histological analyses allowed for providing crucial elements towards a link between death and assumption of the substance.

Background: Caustic ingestions are rare but potentially life-threatening events requiring multidisciplinary emergency approaches. Although particularly respiratory functions may be impaired after caustic ingestions, studies involving acute emergency care are scarce. The goal of this study was to explore acute emergency care with respect to airway management and emergency department (ED) infrastructures., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated adult patients after caustic ingestions admitted to our university hospital over a 10-year period (2005-2014). Prognostic analysis included age, morbidity, ingested agent, airway management, interventions (endoscopy findings, computed tomography (CT), surgical procedures), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of stay in hospital and hospital mortality., Results: Twenty-eight patients with caustic ingestions were included in the analysis of which 18 (64%) had suicidal intentions. Ingested agents were caustic alkalis (n = 22; 79%) and acids (n = 6; 21%). ICU admission was required in 20 patients (71%). Fourteen patients (50%) underwent tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, of which 3 (21%) presented with difficult airways. Seven patients (25%) underwent tracheotomy including one requiring awake tracheotomy due to progressive upper airway obstruction. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed in 21 patients (75%) and 11 (39%) underwent CT examination. Five patients (18%) required emergency surgery with a mortality of 60%. Overall hospital mortality was 18% whereas the need for tracheal intubation (P = 0.012), CT-diagnostic (P = 0.001), higher EGD score (P = 0.006), tracheotomy (P = 0.048), and surgical interventions (P = 0.005) were significantly associated with mortality., Conclusions: Caustic ingestions in adult patients require an ED infrastructure providing 24/7-availability of expertise in establishing emergent airway safety, endoscopic examination (EGD and bronchoscopy), and CT diagnostic, intensive care and emergency esophageal surgery. We recommend that - even in patients with apparently stable clinical conditions - careful monitoring of respiratory functions should be considered as long as diagnostic work-up is completed.

Introduction: The ferric chloride intoxication is frequently caused by accident. Its toxicity is generally underrated, which can lead to fatal evolution or irreversible consequences. In this case, the caustic condition of the substance is related to the toxic properties of iron., Case Presentation: A 36-year-old male patient arrives by ambulance indicating sensory deterioration. He presents erosive injuries in the buccal cavity and in the oropharynx, brownish teeth and metabolic acidosis. Toxicology tests and ferritin blood dosage are requested, which show a result from 1400 mg/dl. The symptoms are interpreted as acute iron intoxication. Due to the unfavorable evolution of his condition, an abdominal and pelvic CT scan are performed, which show extensive pneumoperitoneum and free fluid in the abdominal cavity. An exploratory laparotomy, a total gastrectomy with esophagostomy and feeding jejunostomy, washing and drainage due to perforated gastric necrosis caused by caustic ingestion are performed., Discussion: In our country, there is a high rate of intoxication caused by iron compounds, although it is not statistically measured. Nevertheless, the ferric chloride intoxication is extremely infrequent. The ingestion of this product leads to complications, which are associated with the iron concentration and its condition as a caustic agent., Conclusions: The surgical indications in the presence of intoxication caused by iron compounds are: stomach evacuation of iron, gastric necrosis, perforation or peritonitis and stenosis. Early or prophylactic gastrectomy is contraindicated. However, if complications that require immediate surgical intervention arise, there should be no hesitation and the corresponding procedure should be performed.

We present a case of a 25-year-old woman with sudden onset of shortness of breath, cough and malaise, 24 h after discharge from a psychiatric hospital. She had been there for 2 weeks after a suicide attempt with lye, and started treatment with paroxetin, alprazolam and valproic acid. She also started smoking 20 cigarettes/day during that hospital admission. Brought to the emergency department, she evolved in the first 24 h with respiratory failure and shock needing intensive care unit (ICU) admission, with mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support. Empiric antibiotic therapy was started (piperacillin-tazobactam and azithromycin) suspecting healthcare-associated pneumonia. The patient's chest radiography progressed with bilateral infiltrates. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was seen on the second day. A bronchoalveolar lavage was performed and had 50% of eosinophils. She was started on treatment with steroids and the next day no longer needed vasopressors; 4 days later she was extubated., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Adult ingestion of caustic substances is an unusual but serious surgical problem, with injuries likely to be more extensive than those in the corresponding paediatric population. After initial stabilisation and airway management, clinicians are presented with a complex multisystemic problem, frequently requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving several surgical disciplines and associated therapies. A new multidisciplinary team was convened to discuss complex ingestion injury in adults and established techniques were used to bring forward a proposed treatment algorithm. An algorithm may potentially improve clinical efficacy and risk in the management of these complex patients.

Background/aim: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) have risk taking behavior and are more prone to sustaining injury. It is aimed to evaluate the cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children with caustic ingestion., Patients and Methods: Ninety two children with a history of nonsuicidal caustic ingestion (CI, n=46) and healthy subjects (HS, n=46) admitted to pediatric surgery department were enrolled into the study. Patients in groups were evaluated for age, sex, number of siblings and educational status of the parents. Before filling the questionnaires, the children were undergone flexible endoscopy and treated accordingly. Conners Parents Rating Scale-revised long form (CPRS-R:L), validated for Turkish Children, was used to evaluate the cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children. Parents rate their child's behavior with a four-point Likert scale. Subscales of CPRS-R:L including cognitive problems/inattention (CG/I), hyperactivity (H), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder index (AD/HD-I), Conners' Global Index-discomfort-impulsivity (CGI-DI), DSM-IV-symptom subscale-inattention (DSMIV, SS-I), DSM-IV-symptom subscale-hyperactivity-impulsivity (DSM-IV, SS-HI), DSMIV-symptom subscale-total score (DSM-IV SS-T) were used to determine the severity of the AD/HD symptom. Demographic features and cognitive/behavioral characteristics of children with caustic ingestion were compared with healthy subjects., Results: The median age of the patients was 4 (2-14 years) in both CI and HS groups. Female male ratio was 13:33 in CI and 12:34 in HS. Sixty seven percent of patients were preschool children (younger than 5 years of age) in both CI and HS groups. There was no difference between groups for number of siblings (p>0.05). Parents of HS group had higher educational status than parents in CI (p<0.05). When subscale scores of CPRS-R:L compared between CI and HS groups, CI group had higher CGI-DI scores than HS (p<0.05). Children younger than five years of age had higher scores of H, emotional instability and total CG/I in CI than HS group (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Children with caustic ingestion had impulsiveness behavior when compared to healthy children. In addition to impulsivity, hyperactivity can be also assessed as a risk factor for caustic ingestion in children younger than 5years of age. We suggest that association between AD/HD behavior and risk of sustaining injuries was also confirmed for caustic ingestion in children., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Anaphylaxis presents in children with rapid involvement of typically 2 or more organ systems including cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory. Caustic ingestions (CI) may also present with acute involvement of cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. We present 2 cases of "missed diagnosis" that illustrate how CI presenting with respiratory symptoms can be mistaken for anaphylaxis owing to these similarities. Both of these patients had delay in appropriate care for CI as a result. These cases demonstrate the importance of considering CI in children who have gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory distress, and oropharyngeal edema., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

This article reviews toxic chemicals that cause irritation and damage to single and multiple organ systems (corrosion) in an acute fashion. An irritant toxic chemical causes reversible damage to skin or other organ system, whereas a corrosive agent produces irreversible damage, namely, visible necrosis into integumentary layers, following application of a substance for up to 4 hours. Corrosive reactions can cause coagulation or liquefaction necrosis. Damaged areas are typified by ulcers, bleeding, bloody scabs, and eventual discoloration caused by blanching of the skin, complete areas of alopecia, and scars. Histopathology should be considered to evaluate questionable lesions., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: TO examine esophageal and gastric lesions in children due to the ingestion of alkali and acid corrosive substances and to emphasize all related complications., Materials and Methods: The reports of 103 children who ingested or were suspected to have ingested corrosive substances and who then underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic inspections were evaluated retrospectively., Results: Of the patients, the mean age was 41 ± 3.6 months, and 57.3% were male. Vomiting was the most common symptom (44.7%). Eighteen different commercial products were defined as corrosive substances: 59.2% of them were alkali, 39.8% were acids, and 1% had a neutral pH. These corrosive agents most frequently contained sodium hydroxide, followed by hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, and sulfuric acid. Endoscopic inspections were abnormal in 68% of the cases. Esophageal lesions were observed in 56.3% of the patients, while gastric lesions were observed in 35%. During the follow-up period, esophageal strictures developed in 4.9% of patients, while gastric outlet obstructions developed in 1%., Conclusion: Of the patients, the mean age was 41 ± 3.6 months, and 57.3% were male. Vomiting was the most common symptom (44.7%). Eighteen different commercial products were defined as corrosive substances: 59.2% of them were alkali, 39.8% were acids, and 1% had a neutral pH. These corrosive agents most frequently contained sodium hydroxide, followed by hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, and sulfuric acid. Endoscopic inspections were abnormal in 68% of the cases. Esophageal lesions were observed in 56.3% of the patients, while gastric lesions were observed in 35%. During the follow-up period, esophageal strictures developed in 4.9% of patients, while gastric outlet obstructions developed in 1%.

Background: The colon and the stomach are the most commonly used conduits for esophageal replacement in patients with esophageal strictures resulting from corrosive ingestion. The replacement surgeries have traditionally been performed by an open approach. While laparoscopic replacement surgery using a stomach conduit has been previously reported, a total laparoscopic bypass using a colonic conduit has not been previously described. We herein describe the surgical technique and results of laparoscopic esophageal bypass using a colonic conduit., Methods: Patients with corrosive stricture involving the esophagus with the proximal level at the hypopharynx, or those with concomitant gastric scarring, were selected. The surgery was performed with the patient in a supine position using five abdominal ports and a hockey stick/transverse skin crease neck incision. The main steps include colonic mobilization and assessment of the adequacy of the marginal vascular arcade, creation of a retrosternal tunnel, preparation of the colonic conduit, neck dissection, delivery of the colonic conduit into the neck and cervical pharyngo/esophagocolic anastomosis, and intra-abdominal cologastric and ileocolic anastomosis., Results: During the study period, 39 patients with corrosive stricture of the esophagus were managed surgically at our center with either gastric or colonic bypass. Of these, 22 patients underwent an open procedure (12 retrosternal colonic bypasses and 10 retrosternal gastric bypasses) and 17 patients underwent a laparoscopic procedure (13 retrosternal gastric bypasses and 4 retrosternal colonic bypasses). Patients with stricture at the hypopharynx (n = 2) or those in whom the stomach was contracted (n = 2) were considered for a laparoscopic esophagocoloplasty. The average duration of surgery of these latter four patients was 370 (380, 320, 360, and 420) min and the mean estimated blood loss was 100 mL. All patients could be ambulated on the first postoperative day and were allowed oral liquids by the 7th postoperative day. Compared with patients who underwent an open colonic bypass, there was significantly less need for analgesics. At a median follow-up of 5 (range 3-6) months, all patients are euphagic to solid diet and have excellent cosmetic results., Conclusion: Laparoscopic colonic bypass is an achievable, safe, and effective procedure for the management of corrosive strictures of the esophagus.