Caustic Lesions of the Upper Digestive Tract at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou

Introduction: Considered a medical-surgical emergency, caustic ingestion exposes the patient to serious injuries requiring multidisciplinary management. Several substances may be involved. The aim of our study was to evaluate caustic lesions in adults at the Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital. Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study lasting 6 years and 7 months, with retrospective and prospective data collection. Adult patients hospitalized for caustic ingestions at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Hospital were included. Patients with usable upper gastrointestinal endoscopy reports and/or cervico-thoraco-abdominal CT scan were included. Results: Hospitalization rate was 1.8% (n = 33). Mean age was 33.5 years, with a sex ratio of 3.1. Ingestion was voluntary in 25 patients, with psychiatric disorders in 17. The product ingested was an acid in 24 patients. It was liquid in 90.9% of cases, and quantified in 16 patients at between 15ml and 300ml. Self-medication was noted in 20 patients. 54.5% of patients sought medical attention within 24 hours. Vomiting dominated the clinical picture in 92.9% of cases. The stomach was the most affected area, accounting for 93.9% of cases. Stage II of the Zargar classification was the most frequently encountered. Two cases of perforation, two deaths and eleven stenoses were recorded. All patients received medical treatment, three endoscopic dilatation and ten feeding jejunostomy. Conclusion: In the absence of national statistics, the ingestion of caustic products appears to be infrequent in our context. However, preventive measures are essential, given the risk of serious injury and death despite surgical management.