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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of intralesional steroid treatment in refractory caustic esophageal stricture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analytical, retrospective study of patients receiving intralesional steroid treatment with triamcinolone acetonide as a result of refractory caustic esophageal stricture was carried out. Demographic variables, stricture characteristics, number of dilations, steroid injections, and dilation score (no. of dilations/follow-up period in months) pre- and post-treatment were collected. Stricture characteristics (diameter and length) and dilation score pre- and post-treatment were compared using the T-Test or Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: N= 5. Median age: 5 years (17 months-7 years). Follow-up: 6.60 ± 2.70 years. Swallowed products included NaOH, KOH, and ClH. Zargar classification at follow-up initiation was IIb (n= 2), IIIa (n= 1), and two chronic strictures. 6.6 ± 9.23 esophageal dilations were carried out before steroid treatment initiation. The mean number of intralesional therapy sessions was 11.20 ± 6.14. Stricture length decreased by 3.60 ± 2.63 cm (t= 3.06; p= 0.019). No differences were found in terms of diameter increase: -1.60 ± 3.58 mm (t= -1.00; p= 0.187). The dilation score diminished from 1.47 ± 0.86 to 0.47 ± 0.18 dilations per month of follow-up (Z= -2.02; p= 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Even though there is limited evidence available in the pediatric population, intralesional triamcinolone treatment is seemingly useful in the treatment of refractory caustic esophageal stricture, since it reduces length and dilation score.

OBJETIVO: Analizar la eficacia del tratamiento intralesional con corticosteroide en estenosis esofágicas cáusticas refractarias. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Estudio analítico y retrospectivo de pacientes tratados con corticosteroide intralesional (triamcinolona acetónido) por estenosis esofágicas cáusticas refractarias. Se recogieron variables demográficas, características de la estenosis, número de dilataciones, inyecciones de corticosteroide e índice de dilatación (nº dilataciones/periodo de seguimiento en meses) pre y post tratamiento. Se compararon las características de la estenosis (diámetro y longitud) e índice de dilatación pre y post tratamiento con T-Test o Test de Wilcoxon. RESULTADOS: N= 5. Edad mediana 5 años (17 meses-7años) y seguimiento de 6,60 ± 2,70 años. Los productos ingeridos fueron NaOH, KOH y ClH. La clasificación de Zargar al inicio del seguimiento fue IIb (n= 2), IIIa (n= 1) y dos estenosis crónicas. Se realizaron 6,6 ± 9,23 dilataciones esofágicas previas al tratamiento con corticosteroide. El número de sesiones de terapia intralesional promedio fue 11,20 ± 6,14. La longitud de la estenosis mostró una reducción de 3,60 ± 2,63 cm (t= 3,06 ; p= 0,019). No encontramos diferencias en el incremento del diámetro: ­1,60 ± 3,58 mm (t= ­1,00 ; p= 0,187). El índice de dilatación se redujo de 1,47 ± 0,86 a 0,47 ± 0,18 dilataciones por mes de seguimiento (Z= ­2,02 ; p= 0,043). CONCLUSIONES: Aunque la evidencia disponible en población pediátrica es limitada, la terapia con triamcinolona intralesional parece ser útil en el tratamiento de estenosis esofágicas cáusticas refractarias, al reducir su longitud y el índice de dilatación.

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Introduction: Caustic ingestion in children is a public health problem; it is mainly due to domestic accidents due to improper packaging and storage of caustic products. It is a medical and surgical emergency whose management is multidisciplinary. The lesions caused by the accidental ingestion of caustics can affect the functional and vital prognosis in 10% of cases. Methodology: A retrospective, descriptive study from January 2020 to December 2022 (2 years), carried out in the emergency department of the General Reference Hospital of Niamey (Niger). The study included patients less than 15 years old admitted for ingesting a caustic product. Results: Our study included 17 patients. The average age was 5 years, with age extremes of 2 to 11 years. We noted a male predominance with a sex ratio (M/F) of 2.4. Ingestion of caustic products was accidental in all cases. The caustic product was caustic soda in 59%. The average quantity of product ingested was 5 ml (2 ml to 20 ml). The average consultation time was 3 days (3 hours to 15 days). Clinically, dysphagia was the most functional sign, represented by 13 cases, or 76%. Regarding general signs, 3 patients (18%) were admitted with fever; blood pressure was normal in 15 patients (88%); and 2 patients (18%) were admitted in a state of shock. The respiratory rate was normal in 14 patients (82%). Four patients (24%) were admitted in a state of deterioration in the general condition associated with severe malnutrition and dehydration. On physical examination, 2 patients (12%) presented with abdominal defense at the epigastric level. Examination of the ENT sphere revealed benign buccopharyngeal ulcerations in 2 patients (12%). Esogastroduodenal fibroscopy was performed in 4 patients (24%). The caustic lesions observed in the esophagus were: Zargar stage I at 25%, stage Ila at 50%, and stage Illb at 25%. In the stomach, the lesions were Zargar stage I in 75% of cases and stage III in 25% of cases. An injected thoracic-abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) was performed in 3 patients (18%). It revealed a lack of enhancement of the esophageal wall compatible with esophageal necrosis in one patient. An esophagogastroduodenal transit was performed in 8 patients (47%) admitted more than 72 hours after ingestion of the caustic. They showed esophageal stenoses longer than 3 cm in 3 patients, multiple esophageal stenoses in 2 patients, a single esophageal stenosis in 2 patients, and a single antropyloric stenosis in 1 patient. Therapeutically, all patients benefited from antiemetics to avoid vomiting and proton pump inhibitors. Intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis with third-generation cephalosporin was administered to 12 patients (71%). Corticosteroid therapy based on IV prednisolone at a dose of 1 g/1.73 m2 per day was used to limit or prevent stenoses in 9 patients (53%). Parenteral nutrition was administered to 7 patients (41%). Endoscopic dilations were performed in 2 patients (12%). Emergency surgical treatment was performed in 7 patients (41%): 3 patients underwent transitional feeding gastrostomies; in 3 others, esophagoplasties by colon transplant were performed, and 1 patient was treated by stripping of the esophagus associated with total gastrectomy. The postoperative course was marked by a leak of esocolic anastomosis in one patient for whom conservative treatment was performed with good progress. The average length of hospital stay was 5 days (1-32 days). Conclusion: Accidental caustic ingestions can have serious consequences. Preventing these accidents relies on raising public awareness of the dangers associated with improper storage of these products.

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PURPOSE: We aimed to examine the effectiveness of mother milk exosomes in treating corrosive esophageal burns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 32 rats were separated into four equal groups and weighed individually before the procedure. A corrosive esophageal burn model was created with 12.5% sodium hydroxide by a 3F Fogarty catheter. Group 1 did not apply any process or treatment, Group 2 was burned, and no treatment was performed. Group 3 was burned, and then 0.5 cc/day of mother milk exosome extract was given. Group 4 was not applied any process, and 0.5 cc/day mother milk exosome extract was given. All rats were weighed again and sacrificed. Biopsy samples were sent to the pathology laboratory for histopathological examination (in terms of inflammation, fibrosis, and necrosis).Kindly check and confrm all email ids.The e-mail addresses and affiliation of all authors were checked. Affiliation departments are as stated on the title page. There is no change. RESULTS: A significant difference was found in the results of inflammation and fibrosis. There was a meaningful difference in fibrosis between the 2nd and 3rd groups. There was weight gain in groups 1, 3 and 4. Statistical evaluations for each group were significant. CONCLUSION: It was observed that breast milk exosomes may be effective in inflammation and fibrosis formation in treating corrosive esophageal burns. This suggested that breast milk exosomes reduce stricture formation due to esophageal corrosion.Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 1 Given name: [specify authors given name] Last name [specify authors last name]. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct.The names and affiliation of all authors were checked. Affiliation departments are as stated on the title page. There is no change. Also we confirm the details in the metadata.

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BACKGROUND: Caustic ingestions are relatively uncommon, but remain a significant source of morbidity. Patients with caustic injury often undergo an urgent EGD, although it is not clear if an EGD is routinely needed in an asymptomatic patient. The study has two primary objectives; 1) to determine the utility of routine EGD in asymptomatic suicidal caustic ingestions; 2) to determine if asymptomatic unintentional acidic ingestions can be managed with observation alone, similar to basic ingestions. METHODS: This retrospective study, which took place at 14 hospitals in three countries evaluated all patients who presented with a caustic ingestion between 2014-2020. The presence of symptoms and esophageal injury, demographic information, pH of ingested substance, reason for the ingestion, and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: 409 patients were identified; 203 (46.9%) were male. The median (IQR) age was 18 (4-31) years; overall range 10 months to 78 years. Suicidal ingestions accounted for 155 (37.9%) of cases. Dysphagia or dysphonia were more likely in those with significant esophageal injury compared to those without (59.3% vs. 12.6% respectively; OR 10.1; 95% CI 4.43-23.1). Among 27 patients with significant esophageal injury, 48% were found in suicidal patients, compared with 51.9% in non-suicidal patients (p = NS). On multivariate regression, there was no difference in the rate of significant esophageal injury among suicidal vs. non suicidal patients (aOR 1.55; p = 0.45, 95% CI 0.45-5.33). Most ingestions involved basic substances (332/409; 81.2%). Unknown or mixed ingestions accounted for 25 (6.11%) of the ingestions. Significant esophageal burns were found in 6/52 (11.5%) of acid ingestions, compared with 21/332 (6.3%) of basic ingestions. Of the 42 cases of acidic ingestions without dysphagia or odynophagia, 2 (4.8%; 0.58-16.1%) had significant esophageal burns, compared with 9 (3.2%; 95% CI 1.4-5.9%) of the 284 basic ingestions; p = 0.64). On multivariate logistic regression, patients with acidic ingestions were not more likely to experience a significant burn (aOR 1.7; p = 0.11, 95% CI 0.9-3.1) compared to those with basic ingestions. No patient with significant esophageal burns was asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was no statistical differences in the rates of significant burns between acidic and basic caustic ingestions. There were no significant esophageal injuries noted among asymptomatic patients.

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Toilet cleaner containing hydrochloric acid is a common item found in households all over the world. Due to the availability of the substance, it becomes one of the main contributors to corrosive damage to the gastrointestinal system. This study reports a case of a female in her 50s with an alleged history of ingestion of toilet cleaner an empty bottle of which was found together with a suicide note at the incident site. During the autopsy, the forensic expert made an intriguing observation regarding the dispersion of ingested acid to other organs without gastric perforation. Despite the absence of gastric perforation, the corrosive effects of the ingested acid were evident in various organs, including the liver and spleen. This phenomenon suggests a unique mechanism by which the acid is able to disperse and cause damage beyond the stomach, leading to widespread organ involvement. However, through a comprehensive analysis of the detailed history, typical macroscopic autopsy findings, and chemical analysis reports, it is possible to establish that the cause of death is corrosive acid poisoning. In such cases, further investigation is warranted to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the dispersion of the acid and its clinical implications. By delving deeper into these aspects, we can enhance our knowledge and contribute to the field of forensic medicine.

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Skin corrosion testing is integral to evaluating the potential harm posed by chemicals, impacting regulatory decisions on safety, transportation, and labeling. Traditional animal testing methods are giving way to in vitro alternatives, such as reconstructed human epidermis (RhE) models, aligning with evolving ethical standards. This study evaluates the QileX-RhE test system's performance for chemical subcategorization within the OECD TG 431 framework. Results demonstrate its ability to differentiate subcategories, accurately predicting 83% of UN GHS Category 1A and 73% of UN GHS Category 1B/1C chemicals with 100% sensitivity in corrosive prediction. Additionally, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of the test method's performance by employing nuanced parameters such as positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), post-test odds and likelihood rations, offering valuable insights into the applicability and effectiveness of the QileX-RhE test method.

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Corrosive injuries (CI) become medical problems related complications include esophageal, pyloric stricture and squamous cell carcinoma, physical and quality of life. Endoscopic (ED) dilatation is primary therapy. The ultrathin endoscope-assisted method is potentially safe and useful in avoiding technical failure. Describe clinical outcomes of ED ED-related CI including successful, refractory, recurrent, and complications-related procedures. Case series study of esophageal and/or pyloric stricture patients after CI who underwent dilatation at Soetomo General Hospital (July 2018 - July 2022). One - biweekly ED using Through The Scope (TTS) balloon or Savary Bougie dilator. The target diameter is 14mm. Fifteen patients with stricture-related CI. Eleven patients underwent ED with a total of 73 procedures. Mean age 31,45 years, predominantly male patients (6), suicide attempt (7), acid agent (9), located at esophagus (3), pylorus (3), or both (5). Number of esophageal dilatation to achieve the target of 14 mm was 1-2 and 2-15 procedures for simple and complex stricture. Five esophageal strictures were successfully dilated but 2 patients were recurrent and 3 cases were refractory to ED. Pyloric dilatation resulted in a lower success rate. Recurrent and refractory cases were 5 and 3 patients respectively. ED with ultrathin endoscope method is useful for traversing guidewire during ED. Ongoing inflammation and fibrosis were linked to recurrent and refractory stricture.

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Foreign body ingestions commonly occur in children aged under 6 years. While serious complications of ingestions are rare, sharp objects, caustics, multiple magnets, and button batteries can be associated with poorer outcomes including gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, perforation, necrosis, and fistula formation. Initial workup should include history, physical examination, and plain film radiographs that will identify radiopaque objects. Removal of the foreign body is typically warranted if the object is high risk, it is located higher up in the GI tract, the patient is symptomatic, or the object is retained for a prolonged amount of time.

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BACKGROUND: Caustic ingestion is associated with long-term sequelae like esophageal stricture, gastric cicatrization, and long-term risk of dysplasia or even carcinoma. However, only a few small studies have explored histopathological aspects of caustic-induced esophageal/gastric injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated specimens of patients undergoing surgery due to caustic ingestion-related complications from 2008 to 2020. Pathological examination was conducted by two independent gastro-pathologists to evaluate the extent and depth of the caustic injury, presence or absence of tissue necrosis, type and degree of inflammation, or presence of any dysplastic cells. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients underwent surgical exploration during the inclusion period and complete details of 39 specimens could be retrieved. The mean age of the included patients was 28.66 ± 9.31 years and 25 (64.1%) were male. The majority of patients (30; 76.9%) had a history of caustic ingestion more than three months before the surgery and the presence of long or refractory stricture was the most common indication for the surgery (20; 51.28%). In the resected specimen, a majority of patients had superficial esophageal or gastric ulcer (90.6%; 60.0%), transmural inflammation (68.8%; 65.6%), transmural fibrosis (62.5%; 34.4%), and hypertrophied muscularis mucosa (78.13%; 53.3%). However, none of the patients had dysplasia in the resected esophageal or gastric specimens. CONCLUSION: Caustic ingestion leads to mucosal ulceration, transmural inflammation, and transmural fibrosis which might be the reason for refractory stricture in such patients.

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This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing quality of life (QOL) among patients with corrosive injuries, considering the rising incidence of such cases, particularly in developing countries. Corrosive ingestion is a serious global public health problem and a common form of self-harm. This was a cross-sectional study using purposive sampling. A total of 82 patients with corrosive injuries who were admitted to the gastroenterology ward of a medical center in Taiwan between June 2018 and July 2020 completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Strategy Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale. We used an independent t-test and analysis of variance to examine the distribution and differences in demographic and disease characteristics, perceived stress, and the coping strategy scale. Multiple linear regression was then used to analyze the main predictors of QOL. The mean patient age was 58.2 (standard deviation = 2.4) years. A significant difference was observed between patients with a history of mental illness and perceived stress (P < .05). The patients were highly stressed and used emotional coping strategies to solve problems. Stress perception was significantly negatively correlated with overall QOL. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that a history of mental illness was a significant factor for overall QOL. The results of this study suggest that a history of mental illness significantly affects the QOL of patients with corrosive gastrointestinal injuries, and regular assessment and monitoring are essential.

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Nonoperative management of severe caustic injuries has demonstrated its feasibility, avoiding the need for emergency esogastric resection and resulting in low mortality rates. However, leaving superficial necrosis in place could increase the risk of esophageal stricture development. Data on the risk factors of esophageal stricture secondary to caustic ingestion are scarce. The aim of our study was to identify the risk factors for esophageal strictures after caustic ingestion at admission. From February 2015 to March 2021, all consecutive patients with esophageal or gastric caustic injury score ≥ II according to the Zargar classification were retrospectively analyzed. For each patient, we collected over 50 criteria at admission to the emergency room and then selected among them 20 criteria with the best clinical relevance and limited missing data for risk factor analyses. Among the 184 patients included in this study, 37 developed esophageal strictures (cumulative rate 29.4%). All esophageal strictures occurred within 3 months. In multivariate analyses, the risk factors for esophageal strictures were voluntary ingestion (cause-specific hazard ratio 5.92; 95% confidence interval 1.76-19.95, P = 0.004), Zargar's esophageal score ≥ III (cause-specific hazard ratio 14.30; 95% confidence interval 6.07-33.67, P < 0.001), and severe ear, nose, and throat lesions (cause-specific hazard ratio 2.15; 95% confidence interval 1.09-4.22, P = 0.027). Intentional ingestion, severe endoscopic grade, and severe ENT lesions were identified as risk factors for esophageal stricture following caustic ingestion. Preventive measures for this population require further evaluation.

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PURPOSE: Caustic ingestion is a potential life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Data on patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for severe caustic ingestion are lacking. We aimed to describing epidemiological features and outcomes of patients admitted to ICU for caustic ingestion in France. METHODS: In a retrospective, observational, and multicenter study, data from the national French Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Informations (PMSI) database were analysed from 2013 to 2019. In-hospital mortality rate (primary outcome) and in-ICU complications (secondary outcomes) were reported and analysed. RESULTS: 569 patients (289 males (50.8%), with median age of 49 years [interquartile (26-62)] were admitted in 65 French ICU for severe caustic ingestion. Five hundred and thirteen patients (90%) were admitted for intentional caustic ingestion. The median length of stay in ICU was 14.0 [4.0-31.0] days. In-hospital mortality occurred in 56 patients (9.8%). In multivariate analysis, age and simplified acute physiology score II were associated with in-hospital mortality age of 40-59 years [OR = 15.3 (2.0-115.3)], age of 60-79 years [OR = 23.6 (3.1-182.5)], and age > 80 years [OR = 37.0 (4.2-328.6)] and SAPS 2 score [OR = 1.0018 (1.003-1.033), p < 0.001]. During ICU stay, 423 complications (74%) were reported in 505 patients (89%). Infectious (244 (42.9%)), respiratory (207 (36.4%)), surgical 62 (10.9%), haemorrhagic (64 (11.2%)) and thrombo-embolic and (35 (6.2%)) complications were the most frequently reported during ICU stay. CONCLUSION: ICU admission for severe caustic ingestion is associated with 9.8% mortality and 74% complications. Age > 40 years and SAPS 2 score were independently associated with mortality.

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OBJECTIVE: To analyze histological features of esophageal strictures in children with chemical burn following ingestion of household products containing sodium (potassium) hypochlorite, sodium (potassium) hydroxide. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed 3 children with complicated caustic esophageal burns. Children at the time of swallowing the caustic were 26.3±4.1 months. Multiple dilatations of esophageal stricture were ineffective. Therefore, extirpation or subtotal resection of the esophagus and esophagocoloplasty were performed. We stained specimens using hematoxylin and eosin, as well as Masson's trichrome. RESULTS: Severe esophageal burns caused by sodium (potassium) hydroxide and/or sodium hypochlorite are followed by irreversible tissue lesions and non-dilatable stricture. Strictures are localized in the areas of physiological narrowing of the esophagus. The longest stricture follows ingestion of liquid substance. Histological properties include atrophy of glands and mucous membrane, muscle layer substitution by connective tissue and diffuse sclerosis of esophageal wall. CONCLUSION: Non-dilatable esophageal stricture following caustic burn in children is due to irreversible morphological lesion of esophageal wall with mucous layer atrophy and sclerosis of all layers.

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PURPOSE: The unresolved debate about the management of corrosive ingestion is a major problem both for the patients and healthcare systems. This study aims to demonstrate the presence and the severity of the esophageal burn after caustic substance ingestion can be predicted with complete blood count parameters. METHODS: A multicenter, national, retrospective cohort study was performed on all caustic substance cases between 2000 and 2018. The classification learner toolbox of MATLAB version R2021a was used for the classification problem. Machine learning algorithms were used to forecast caustic burn. RESULTS: Among 1839 patients, 142 patients (7.7%) had burns. The type of the caustic and the PDW (platelet distribution width) values were the most important predictors. In the acid group, the AUC (area under curve) value was 84% while it was 70% in the alkaline group. The external validation had 85.17% accuracy in the acidic group and 91.66% in the alkaline group. CONCLUSIONS: Artificial intelligence systems have a high potential to be used in the prediction of caustic burns in pediatric age groups.

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OBJECTIVES: Corrosive substance ingestion in children represents a significant public health issue due to its long-term health sequelae. Esophageal stricture, main complication of this dangerous condition, is treated by pneumatic dilation and eventually by esophageal replacement. We aimed, through this study, to report the outcomes of esophageal pneumatic dilation complicating corrosive substance ingestion in children in a developing country. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on the population of pediatric patients with caustic esophageal stenosis between January 2005 and December 2020. All patients underwent pneumatic balloon dilation. A logistic regression model was built to predict the probability of the occurrence of the event (success/failure) of the dilation. The ROC curve is used to evaluate the performance of the logistic regression model to discriminate between positive and negative values of the dependent variable. RESULTS: The success rate of pneumatic balloon dilation was 80.4%. The median duration of overall management was 11 months. The severity of caustic stricture observed during endoscopy was significantly linked to worse outcomes (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the severity of stenosis and the number of dilation sessions were independent risk factors for failure of dilation. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 71.7%. A Cut-Off point value of 7 provided the best sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: Pneumatic balloon dilation has been proven to be efficacious in infants with caustic esophageal stricture. Pediatric surgeons should take into account factors to promptly switch to replacement surgery and avoid unnecessary and time-consuming serial dilations.

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INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic dilation is the preferred management strategy for caustic esophageal strictures (CES). However, the differences in outcome for different dilators are not clear. We compared the outcome of CES using bougie and balloon dilators. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2016, the following data of all the patients with CES were collected: demographic parameters, substance ingestion, number of strictures, number of dilations required to achieve ≥ 14 mm dilation, post-dilation recurrence, and total dilations. Patients were divided into two groups for the type of dilator, i.e., bougie or balloon. The two groups were compared for baseline parameter, technical success, short- and long-term clinical success, refractory strictures, recurrence rates, and major complications. RESULTS: Of the 189 patients (mean age 32.17 ± 12.12 years) studied, 119 (62.9%) were males. 122 (64.5%) patients underwent bougie dilation and 67 (35.5%) received balloon dilation. Technical success (90.1% vs. 68.7%, p < 0.001), short-term clinical success (65.6% vs. 46.3%, p value 0.01), and long-term clinical success (86.9% vs. 64.2%, p < 0.01) were higher for bougie dilators compared to balloon dilators. Twenty-four (12.7%) patients developed adverse events which were similar for two groups. On multivariate analysis, use of bougie dilators (aOR 4.868, 95% CI 1.027-23.079), short-term clinical success (aOR 5.785, 95% CI 1.203-27.825), and refractory strictures (aOR 0.151, 95% CI 0.033-0.690) were independent predictors of long-term clinical success. CONCLUSION: Use of bougie dilators is associated with better clinical success in patients with CES compared to balloon dilators with similar rates of adverse events.

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Corrosive substance attacks (CSA) are a prevalent issue in the UK with 525 offenses involving a corrosive substance reported to the police in the year ending March 2022. Easy availability, low cost, and concealability in public are common reasons for choosing a corrosive substance as a weapon. The Metropolitan Police revealed that 68% of 1849 CSA cases resulted in no suspect identified or evidential difficulties. There is limited research into the effect of corrosive substances on latent fingermarks. This study aimed to determine the potential for fingermarks to be recovered from surfaces exposed to a household corrosive substance within the context of a deliberate CSA. Natural and sebaceous-loaded fingermarks were exposed to Domestos bleach, Harpic limescale remover (hydrochloric acid-based) and lemon juice. Harpic limescale remover had the most detrimental effect, with only 7.1% of fingermarks (n = 378) exposed being identifiable (defined as sufficient clear ridge detail for identification) after enhancement, followed by bleach with only 10.3% of fingermarks (n = 378) identifiable. Lemon juice had the least detrimental effect on fingermarks, with 40.5% fingermarks (n = 378) identifiable compared to 53.4% for the controls (not exposed to any substance; n = 378). Throughout the study, fewer natural fingermarks were identifiable after exposure to corrosive substances compared to sebaceous fingermarks which was as expected. Overall, this study demonstrated that there is potential to recover latent fingermarks, depending on their composition, following exposure to a household corrosive substance. This area warrants further research to establish best practice to maximize the potential to recover identifiable fingermarks.

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BACKGROUND: Suicide methods chosen by victims are particularly critical in suicide risk research. To differentiate suicide deaths, it is usual to categorize them as violent and nonviolent depending on the detrimental method chosen by the victims. Caustic ingestion, for example, is traditionally considered as a nonviolent suicide method. It results in severe consequences for the human body and it is associated with high levels of lethality. METHODS: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed suicides that occurred between 1993 and 2021 in Milan (Italy) and that underwent autopsy. We compared a sample of 40 victims that ingested caustic substances with a sample of 460 victims of other chemical ingestion, and a sample of 3962 victims from violent suicide. Univariate analyses and univariate logistic regression models were performed. Suicides from caustic poisoning were significantly older, had a higher mean number of diseases and were more affected by psychiatric diseases compared to other chemical ingestion victims. By contrast, caustic suicides, compared to violent suicides, had a more balanced gender ratio, a higher mean number of diseases, were more affected by psychiatric diseases, had a higher rate of complex suicides (more than one modality), and had victims who died more frequently inside instead of outside. In logistic regression models, age was the only feature differentiating caustic from other chemical ingestion suicides while the features differentiating caustic from violent suicides were gender, mean number of diseases and suicide place. CONCLUSIONS: Suicides by caustic ingestion showed substantial differences compared to violent suicides, with a higher severe profile. However, some differences were reported comparing caustic ingestion to other chemical ingestion as well. Thus, we argue whether it is more appropriate to differentiate the suicidal ingestion of caustics from both violent and nonviolent suicide methods.

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The mortality and morbidity of acute caustic gastric injuries are high. The spectrum of gastric injury due to caustic ingestion varies from hyperemia, erosion, and extensive ulcers to mucosal necrosis. Severe transmural necrosis can be associated with fistulous complications in the acute and subacute phases and stricture formation in the chronic phase. Due to these important clinical implications, timely diagnosis and appropriate management of gastric caustic injury are crucial, and endoscopy plays a pivotal role. However, critically ill patients or those with overt peritonitis and shock cannot undergo endoscopy. Thoraco-abdominal computed tomography (CT) is preferable to endoscopy as it avoids the risk of esophageal perforation and allows the evaluation of the entire gastrointestinal tract, as well as of the surrounding organs. With the advantage of not being invasive, CT scan has a promising role in the early evaluation of caustic injury. It has an increasing role in the emergency setting with good accuracy in identifying patients who are likely to benefit from surgery. In this pictorial essay, we present the CT spectrum of caustic injury of stomach and associated thoraco-abdominal injuries, with clinical follow-up.

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