In 1987, we reported on a patient who developed corrosive upper alimentary tract inflammation that ensued NaOH ingestion for suicidal purpose, and who recovered following palliative treatment. Ten years later, this woman repeated the same.
On Jan 16, 1997, a 56-year-old woman employed at a cleaning shop, swallowed while working one glass-full of aqueous solution of NaOH used for cleasing in the shop. Her husband realized the incident and consulted with the Psychiatric Department of this hospital four hours later. She was restless, and her lips were swollen.
Emergency endoscopy disclosed corrosion of the oral cavity and esophagus ; the stomach showed a mild corrostion and a scar allegedly of the past corrosion. The upper GI tract was washed with mild followed by administration of antibiotics and an H2-blocker, and transvenous alimentation while fasting. Starting on the 5th day, 2 mg of dexamethasone was given. She could phonate the next day, and eventually recovered with a conservative therapy ; she was discharged from the hospital one and a half months later. Our report includes review of the literature.
