Approach to patients with caustic ingestion in an emergency department

Caustic ingestion continues to be a relatively frequent reason for consultation in the emergency departments of our country. It is a potentially fatal pathology that should be treated according to the risk involved. It can be due both to the ingestion of acids and bases, each type having its own peculiarities in terms of the clinical manifestations and the lesions they cause; the accidental cause is the most frequent among children, while in the adult population ingestion predominates as an attempt at autolysis. In underdeveloped countries, acid ingestion predominates while in the first world, ingestion of commodities is more frequent. Mild cases can be discharged from the emergency department without requiring hospitalization or subsequent follow-up, while moderate or severe cases will require hospitalization and will have a high risk of presenting complications over time. The treatment of severe cases is based on support measures and monitoring of complications.