Early blunt esophagectomy in severe caustic burns of the upper digestive tract. Report of 29 cases.

Caustic ingestion may cause severe necrosis of the upper digestive tract. Of 520 patients admitted in our department for caustic ingestion, 29 (5.5%) underwent emergency esophagogastrectomy because of transmural necrosis. We used a stripping procedure, which was performed through a cervicotomy and a laparotomy. This method allowed 18 patients (62%) to survive. Thus it appears to be a safer technique than open thoracic esophagectomy, which we used in our earlier experience.