Citation

Arnold M, Numanoglu A. Semin. Pediatr. Surg. 2017; 26(2): 95-104.

Affiliation

Division of Paediatric Surgery, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: alp.numanoglu@uct.ac.za.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2017.02.002

PMID

28550877

Abstract

Various domestic or industrial chemicals may cause significant upper aerodigestive tract burns. Preventive measures should be up-scaled, especially in the developing world, to reduce the epidemic of accidental victims, largely unsupervised preschool children. External signs do not predict degree of injury. Non-invasive diagnostic screening includes radio-nuclear imaging, but early oesophago-gastroduodenoscopy remains the standard to predict stricture formation from circumferential submucosal scarring. Serial dilation is the mainstay of oesophageal stricture therapy, with oesophageal replacement reserved for severe refractory strictures. Intra-lesional steroid or mitomycin C may decrease the dilatations required for severe strictures, although long-term effects are unknown. Risk of secondary oesophageal carcinoma mandates long-term surveillance.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Caustic ingestion; Corrosive; Oesophageal stricture; Paediatric