CLINICAL MEDICINE

Detailed explanation-1: -Caustic ingestion can cause severe injury to the esophagus and the stomach. Alkali ingestions typically damage the esophagus more than the stomach or duodenum, whereas acids cause more severe gastric injury.

Detailed explanation-2: -Acids tend to affect the stomach more than the esophagus. Alkalis cause rapid liquefaction necrosis; no eschar forms, and damage continues until the alkali is neutralized or diluted. Alkalis tend to affect the esophagus more than the stomach, but ingestion of large quantities severely affects both.

Detailed explanation-3: -Common alkali-containing caustic agents are household bleaches, drain openers, toilet bowel cleaners, dishwashing agents and detergents.

Detailed explanation-4: -Alkali substances can cause liquefactive necrosis and can be especially corrosive at high pH values as the necrosis continues until the alkali becomes neutralized. [2] This chemical pathway is especially damaging to human tissue within the esophagus.

Detailed explanation-5: -When swallowed, caustic substances can burn all tissues they touch-from the lips to the stomach. Symptoms may include pain (particularly with swallowing), coughing, shortness of breath, and vomiting. A doctor inserts a flexible viewing tube down the esophagus to look for burns and determine the severity of the injury.