Accidental ingestion of caustic substance is one of the common problems among children around the world. Acid intake accounts for a mere 5% of all reported cases of corrosive ingestion in the West. Because of the esophageal sparing effect of acid, clinically significant esophageal involvement after acid ingestion occurs in only 6 to 20 per cent of the instances. Despite effort of prevention, 7% to 15% of children sustaining caustic esophageal burns develop esophageal strictures. If balloon dilatation or bougie dilatation fails to resolve the esophageal strictures, successful outcome following replacement by colon or stomach has been reported in children. But the complications and morbidity following these operations are still relatively high. Seven patients with corrosive-acid induced esophageal strictures who were operated upon at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were reviewed. Primary resection and anastomosis was performed in all of 7 patients. The stricture involved short segments of the esophagus at the level of the lower cervical and the upper thoracic vertebra. The operations were approached through a left cervical incision or a left thoracotomy. In one patient, operative repair of anastomotic leakage was done, and three patients required re-resection of anastomotic strictures postoperatively, and one patient required a third operation(reversed gastric tube} due to an anastomotic stricture. The other anastomotic leaks, strictures or pulmonary complications were resolved with conservative treatment. In conclusion, primary resection and anastomosis of the esophagus was performed successfully on the 6 of 7 children with acid induced corrosive esophageal strictures. This approach is physiologic, especially in children who should have a long life expectancy, and recommended for the treatment of short-segment acid induced corrosive esophageal strictures.
