Corrosive injury to the upper gastrointestinal tract

Corrosive injury to the UGI tract is a common problem and has a wide spectrum of presentations. Unlike in the West, where lye ingestion is more frequent, corrosive injury in India is more commonly due to acids. Depth of the injury is the most important factor which determines the outcome. Endoscopy done soon after corrosive ingestion is safe and is very helpful in assessing the extent and severity of injury and in planning proper management of these patients. At present no therapy has been proven to be effective for prevention of stricture formation. Endoscopic dilatation seems to be the treatment of choice for management of most esophageal strictures with very good short and long term results. Surgery should be considered only when dilatation fails.