Corrosives ingestion in children : a single center review

Abstract EN

Objective : The objective of this review is to evaluate the clinical and endoscopic findings in addition to the outcome of corrosives ingestion in children.

Methods : This retrospective review was carried out at Queen Rania Hospital for Children between Jan 2015 and Aug 2017.

Children aged less than 14 years with a history of corrosives ingestion and underwent upper endoscopy up to the second part of the duodenum within the first 24 hours were included in the study.

A barium swallow was performed for all children within the 3PrdP week after corrosive ingestion.

Different corrosives, Clinical state, endoscopic findings, methods of treatment and outcome were evaluated for all children.

Results: A total of 266 children aged six months to five years were included in the study.

The mean and median ages were 3 and 2 years respectively; 171 (64.3 %) were males and 95 (35.7 %) wereP Pfemale.

Chlorine bleach ingestion was seen in 166 (62.4 %), alkali ingestion in 50 (18.8 %), acidic ingestion in 23 (8.6 %), paint thinner ingestion in 5 (1.9 %) and button battery ingestion in 22 (8.3 %).

Symptoms and signs at presentation include vomiting (47.9 %), oral lesions (34.2 %), drooling of saliva (26 %), strider (12.3 %) and abdominal pain (8.2 %).

Abnormal endoscopic findings were encountered in 25 patients.

Two out of 166 children who ingested chlorine bleach had oral lesions, but esophageal injuries were absent among this group.

Conclusion: most children ingest corrosives accidentally or unintentionally.

Vomiting was the most common complaint.

The esophageal stricture was developed in 2 % of cases which was lower than some studies.

Early clinical and endoscopic evaluation is of great help in improving the outcome for children with a history of corrosives ingestion.