Our experience with caustic substance ingestion in children
Paredes Osado, J.R.; Gras Albert, J.R.; Crespo Marco, C.; Mira Navarro, J.
Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola 44(2): 101-105
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6519 PMID: 8334001 Document Number: 422049
We discuss the protocol followed in our Service for the diagnose, treatment and follow-up of patients younger than seven years old, diagnosed as "caustic substance ingestion". We report on 157 cases seen from 1987 to 1991, from which 14 showed severe oesophageal burnings which required further oesophageal dilatation with general or local anesthesia. The usefulness of pH-metry in this patients is also analyzed. The relatively mild degree of abrasiveness produced by bleach is also described, despite being the most frequent caustic agent in our group of patients. The usefulness of the different techniques applied for the treatment and follow-up of this patients is also discussed.