Ingestion of lye and other corrosive agents--a study of 86 infant and child cases.

Eighty-six cases of caustic ingestion seen over a 10 year period at the Montreal Children's Hospital are presented in an analytical retrospective fashion. All the patients were hospitalized. Ingestion was more common in males than females. Sixty-two patients were less than four years of age. Thirty-five of the 86 cases had esophageal burns. Esophagoscopy was performed on all cases. There was no perforation following endoscopy. Steroids and antibiotics were used on all the cases. Six patients developed stricture formation requiring bougienage.