Sever Gastrointestinal Caustic Injury and Surgical Treatment

Approximately 20% of caustic ingestions result in some degree of esophageal injury. Alkaline materials are the most frequent corrosive materials ingested.     The physical form and PH of ingested materials play a critical role in the site and type of gastrointestinal injury (PH > 12 or PH < 1.5, crystalline drain cleaners). Unlike Alkaline solutions, strong acids are bitter, burn on contact and usually produce vomiting but when swallowed pass rapidly through the esophagus and damage the antrum of the stomach. I will present the results of 5 cases of gastric out let obstruction after acid ingestion (subtotal gastrectomy and billroth 1) and 4 patients with extensive esophageal damage and perforation ( Total esophagectomy and gastric pull up).