Citation

Rathinam S, Kanagavel M, Chandramohan SM. Interact. Cardiovasc. Thorac Surg. 2009; 8(2): 221-224.

Affiliation

Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Government Royapettah Hospital and Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery)

DOI

10.1510/icvts.2008.184598

PMID

19022846

Abstract

Corrosive strictures of the gastrointestinal tract are a surgical challenge. We describe a previously undescribed condition called gastrocoele, a rare condition caused by combined oesophageal and antral strictures and review our results. We present our experience with nine cases of gastrocoele due to combined corrosive strictures of oesophagus and antrum between 1993 and 2005. The age group was 21-65 years with female preponderant (66%) sex distribution. The presentation was at a median of 110 days (range 45-400 days) following the corrosive ingestion. The standard investigations included barium swallow, endoscopy, jejunostomy tubogram and barium enema. The surgical procedures performed were antrectomy and coloplasty in six (one staged), antrectomy and oesophageal dilatation in two and gastrojejunostomy and coloplasty in one. There was no major morbidity or mortality with a median follow-up of 3 years. Gastrocoele is a rare entity where good results can be achieved with surgery, however, prevention of corrosive injuries by public education is the best cure!

Language: en