Suicidal or accidental acid ingestion is a devastating disease if significant amount has been swallowed. Similar injury to the GI tract can also be produced by other caustic agents. Accidental ingestion can be prevented by keeping bathroom cleaners away from the children, not keeping these chemicals in colorful bottles which can be mistaken as cold drinks or as water. Childproof cap on the bottles of these chemicals are legal requirement in many countries and it has almost abolished accidental ingestion in children.
Most commonly the esophagus (food pipe) and the stomach are damaged by the acid. Their lumen become narrowed and can cause difficulty in swallowing of food. In the severest form patient can not even swallow their own saliva. Their voice and breathing can also become affected if the acid goes into the trachea (windpipe).
“Prevention is better than cure ” ,as always this is true for acid poisoning too.
Some patients require esophageal bypass when they develop esophageal narrowing which are not amenable to endoscopic dilatation. Colon pull up usually gives a durable relief to the symptoms. A segment of colon ( large bowel) is taken up under the breastbone to the neck and connected with the healthy esophagus in the neck.
Here are our two patients who underwent colon pull up in 2012 and 2013. The boy was operated first, when he got relief he brought the lady who stays in the same neighbourhood.