Corrosive Injury of Esophagus & Stomach

A corrosive injury to the stomach and esophagus happens when someone swallows harmful chemicals, like acids or alkalis commonly found in household cleaners. This kind of injury can be life-threatening and needs urgent medical care

What Causes Corrosive Injuries?

• Swallowing strong acids or alkalis (from cleaning products or other chemicals)

• Accidental or intentional ingestion

• Highest risk in children, people with mental health conditions, or in areas where such chemicals are easily available

What Happens Inside the Body?

• Esophagus (food pipe): Alkalis (like drain cleaners) stick to and damage the esophagus most.

• Stomach: Acids (like toilet cleaners) pass quickly but can severely burn the stomach lining.

Symptoms to Watch For

• Severe mouth, chest, or stomach pain

• Trouble swallowing, drooling

• Vomiting, sometimes blood

• Breathing difficulty, hoarseness if airway is involved

Stages of Injury

• Immediate: Burns and tissue death within minutes

• Days: Ulcers, risk of perforation (hole in esophagus/stomach)

• Weeks to Months: Healing can lead to scar tissue (strictures), making swallowing or food passage difficult; sometimes, risk of cancer many years later

How Are Injuries Diagnosed?

• Endoscopy: Doctors use a camera to see and grade the damage inside the digestive tract

• CT scans: May check for holes or severe damage

  

Treatment Steps

• Supportive care: IV fluids, pain relief, keeping the patient fasting at first

• Nutrition: Special feeding tubes if swallowing isn’t possible

• Medications: To protect the stomach lining (like proton pump inhibitors, sucralfate)

• Surgery: Sometimes needed for severe burns, perforations, or strictures after healing

Prevention Reminders

• Keep chemicals out of reach of children

• Store cleaners and caustic substances safely

• Never store corrosive chemicals in food or drink bottles