Corrosive injury of the stomach in potash poisoning: a histopathologic study

Twenty patients with complete oesophageal obstruction consequent upon the ingestion of caustic potash were studied. Biopsies were obtained from the fundus of the stomach as well as from the pyloric antrum, during the procedure of a feeding gastrostomy, with the aim to study the incidence and nature of gastric affection in potash poisoning. Histopathologic changes were demonstrated in 65% of the pyloric biopsies and in 16.6% of biopsies obtained from the fundus of the stomach. The results are discussed and the possible clinical implications of these histopathologic alterations are mentioned