Harpic (hydrochloric acid) ingestion causing "isolated" gastric fundus perforation

ABSTRACT

Accidental or suicidal ingestion of acid usually affects the lower oesophagus and stomach. Harpic is a commonly used toilet cleaning solution and contains hydrochloric acid as the active ingredient, whose ingestion can affect both the stomach and intestines in the form of gangrene and perforation. Symptomatic treatment aims at dilution of the ingested corrosive and specific management involves correcting metabolic imbalances, coagulopathy and emergency surgical intervention for severe injury and late sequelae. We present the case of a 20 year old male with suicidal ingestion of Harpic, who presented with severe abdominal pain and signs of generalised peritonitis. He underwent an emergency laparotomy and was found to have only the gastric fundus to be gangrenous with total sparing of rest of the stomach and intestines, which required only a wedge resection of the stomach. The patient made a good postoperative recovery and is free from complications at the end of one year of follow-up

RESUMEN

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