Caustic ingestion injury of the upper aerodigestive tract in adults

Abstract

Adult ingestion of caustic substances is an unusual but serious surgical problem, with injuries likely to be more extensive than those in the corresponding paediatric population. After initial stabilisation and airway management, clinicians are presented with a complex multisystemic problem, frequently requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving several surgical disciplines and associated therapies. A new multidisciplinary team was convened to discuss complex ingestion injury in adults and established techniques were used to bring forward a proposed treatment algorithm. An algorithm may potentially improve clinical efficacy and risk in the management of these complex patients.