Corrosive oesophageal injury. A study of four cases.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The ingestion of a corrosive agent including strong alkaline material causes serious caustic damage to the upper gastrointestinal tract. We describe four cases in patients who had ingested alkaline substances.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

During the years 1992-1996, four patients who had ingested strong alkali were treated in the Oulu University Hospital. The patients were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

In one case a third-degree, in two cases a second-degree and in one case a first-degree injury developed in the oesophagus. The patient with first-degree injury was treated with repeated endoscopic dilatations and he refused any more aggressive surgical therapy. The patients with more severe injuries were operated, on all with good end results.

CONCLUSION

Aggressive surgical treatment of severe corrosive injuries involving the upper gastrointestinal tract is recommended.