Management of unusually extensive esophagogastric corrosive injuries: emergency measures and gastric reconstruction

Ingestion of a corrosive substance only rarely presents with life-threatening symptoms because of acute necrosis of the esophagus and/or stomach and necessitates emergency surgery. Once the patient is stabilized, a staged reconstruction of the alimentary tract is planned. The surgeon should be familiar with the various types of gastric reconstruction in conjunction with or without esophageal replacement. The authors report 2 illustrative cases, which presented severe symptoms after corrosive substance ingestion, to emphasize the important aspects of management of this condition. The reconstruction of the gastrointestinal tract in children is managed with a staged approach using various methods, including Hunt-Lawrence J pouch gastric substitution.