Caustic ingestion leads to pneumonectomy and right colonic interposition, a unique case report

Corrosive ingestion forms serious problem, with various outcomes depending on the time of diagnosis and treatment. We report here a case with rare and dangerous complications.

A two-year-old girl came to our hospital, complaining of solids' dysphagia. Retrieving her medical history showed that she had ingested a corrosive liquid accidentally. Without knowing the nature of the ingested agent, the local doctor removed it, using nasal gastric tube. This procedure induced vomiting, which in turn led to more damage. She stayed in the area's hospital for 40 days with just supportive treatment. The radiological investigations suggested severe stenosis. The dilation was done, but the patient did not respond after three months of treatment. Therefore, a gastrostomy was done. The esophagus replacement was inevitable, but the parents refused the surgical approach. Three months later, she returned to our hospital complaining of a productive cough. The radiological investigations suggested destruction in the left lung with a high suspicion of tracheoesophageal fistula. The treatment was through a surgical approach by removing the damaged lung tissue and closing the tracheoesophageal fistula. The patient got better after a month of the surgery, which allowed us to replace the esophagus and close the tracheoesophageal fistula.

corrosive treatment varies a lot, depending on the patient's situation. Accurate treatment prevents severe and unexpected complications.

More stringent instructions should be enacted among medical providers, corrosive agents' producers, and the public to be more careful when dealing with corrosive chemicals.