[Artificial nutrition in the management of lesions caused by caustic ingestion]

Ingestion of a large amount of corrosive agent results in a life-threatening condition which requires a much more aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approach than was formerly recommended. Based on experience with a wide spectrum of upper g-i injuries in 56 patients treated through a 5-year-period, the Authors suggest an early staging of the lesions by immediate endoscopy, followed by adequate resective surgery for high-degree esophago-gastric lesions. Indications, techniques of artificial nutrition and the nutritional requirements of this condition are presented and fully discussed. The prompt institution of total parenteral nutrition is an essential part of the emergency management of these lesions. Fourteen patients underwent surgical treatment for the lesions; in all cases a Witzel's feeding jejunostomy was performed and postoperative enteral nutrition was started. Eight patients underwent a reconstructive operation of colon interposition and received home-based total enteral nutrition for a period of 8-25 weeks. No major complications relate to nutritional support occurred and nutritional indexes were normal at the end of the treatment.