Caustic burns of the upper digestive and respiratory tracts.

In a series of 51 children presenting with an accidental caustic burn, symptoms were analysed for their predictive value of significant i.e. necrotizing oesophageal lesions (grade II or III). For the whole group, the incidence of significant oesophageal lesions was 37%. Vomiting and/or respiratory distress were associated with high incidence of significant oesophageal burn (84% and 75% respectively). The particular location of each caustic burn was analysed for its association with caustic burns at other anatomical sites. Of the 18 patients with a laryngeal burn, 72% also had a grade II or III oesophageal burn. The 19 patients with a grade II or III oesophageal burn and the 18 patients with a laryngeal burn, all had lesions at other sites. In the group of 19 patients with a caustic lesion limited to one site, only 1 patient showed mild oesophagitis (grade I) without late sequelae.