Corrosive-Induced Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Ten patients with gastric scarring and an outlet obstruction secondary to ingestion of corrosive substances were referred to our department for surgical management, between May 1999 and April 2003. Hydrochloric acid was the most common corrosive ingested (4 cases), although many were not aware of the nature of the ingested substance. An associated esophageal stricture was present in 5 cases (50%). All the patients initially underwent feeding jejunostomy, with definitive surgery performed at a later date. A partial gastrectomy was found to be the most satisfactory procedure, and was performed in 90% of the cases (9 patients).