Corrosive Esophagitis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Corrosive esophagitis is a condition where your esophagus is hurt or damaged by harmful substances. The damage may cause inflammation (swelling), scarring, and ulcers (tears). The damage may be caused by chemicals, medicines, or radiation. The esophagus is a soft hollow tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. With corrosive esophagitis, you may have a fever and pain and trouble swallowing. You may need to have a barium swallow, a biopsy, or an esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
  
  
• When you have bleeding and damage in your esophagus, you may need surgery or dilatation. You may also need medicines such as steroids, antibiotics, and stomach acid medicines. To help your esophagus heal, you may need to avoid eating foods that are spicy. You may also have to eat foods that are soft and can be swallowed easily. Treating your corrosive esophagitis may decrease the swelling and scarring in your esophagus. Treatment may also decrease your pain and make it easier for you to swallow.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

• You may have an allergic response to the medicines used to treat corrosive esophagitis. Your skin may become red, itchy, and swollen. You may also have trouble breathing. It may take some time before your medicines relieve your symptoms. During surgery, you may bleed more than expected or get an infection.
  
  
• If left untreated, you may continue to feel pain and have trouble swallowing food and liquids. You may not be able to eat enough, and you may lose weight and feel weak. Sometimes, food, liquids, or vomit may get in your lungs. You may choke, have an infection in your lungs, or have trouble breathing. You may bleed, and continue bleeding if there is too much damage in your esophagus. Talk to your caregiver if you have questions about your condition, treatment, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent:

A consent form is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.

IV:

An IV (intravenous) is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.

Vital signs:

Caregivers will check your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and temperature. They will also ask about your pain. These vital signs give caregivers information about your current health.

Diet and nutrition:

You may be put on a low-acid and bland diet. You may also need any of the following:

• Soft food diet: You may also need to eat foods that are soft and easy to swallow. Some examples are applesauce, baby food, bananas, cooked cereal, cottage cheese, eggs, gelatin, pudding, and yogurt.
  
  
• Tube feedings: If you have trouble swallowing soft foods, you may be fed through a feeding tube. The feeding tube will be carefully pushed through your nose down into your stomach. Liquid nutrition will be put through the end of the feeding tube and will flow into your stomach.
  
  
• TPN: TPN stands for total parenteral nutrition. It is also called hyperalimentation. It provides your body with nutrition such as protein, sugar, vitamins, minerals, and sometimes fat (lipids). TPN is used when you have problems with eating or digesting food. TPN is usually put into your body through a large IV catheter.

Medicines:

• Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be given to treat or prevent infections caused by germs called bacteria.
  
  
• Steroids: Steroid medicine may be given to decrease inflammation which is redness, pain, and swelling. There are many different reasons to take steroids. This medicine may help, but may also have side effects. Be sure you understand why you need steroids. Do not stop taking this medicine without your caregivers OK. Stopping on your own may cause a bad response.
  
  
• Stomach acid medicines: These medicines make the food and acids in your stomach less harmful to your esophagus.
  
  
• Anti-ulcer medicine: This medicine causes your stomach and esophagus to make a thick layer of mucus. This layer will protect the tissues from strong acids. Tears and wounds on your esophagus will heal better when they are covered by the mucus layer.

Tests:

• Barium swallow: This test is an x-ray picture of your throat and esophagus. The pictures let your caregiver see any scars, tears, or other problems inside your esophagus and stomach. Before having the test, you will need to drink a thick liquid with a special substance called barium. The barium will help your esophagus show up better on x-rays. Your caregiver will give you instructions on what to do for the test.
  
  
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: This is also known as an EGD. Caregivers use a long and flexible tube with a light and video camera in one end. This device will let them see inside your esophagus and stomach. Your caregiver will spray anesthesia medicine inside your mouth. This will stop you from throwing up and decrease any pain you might feel. Your caregiver will gently insert the tube to see your esophagus, stomach and your duodenum. The duodenum is the first portion of your intestine. Your caregiver will look for any bleeding, lumps, narrowing, scars, tears, or pill pieces.
  
  
• Biopsy: This is a procedure where your caregiver takes a small piece of tissue from your esophagus. Your caregiver may do this during an EGD. The sample will be sent to a lab for tests.

Treatment options:

• Dilatation: A small balloon, dilator, or stent may be placed in your esophagus to dilate (widen) it. This is often done if there is a narrowing in a part of your esophagus. Your caregiver may need to repeat this procedure many times to help relieve your symptoms.
  
  
• Surgery: Surgery may be needed if medicines and dilatation do not relieve your symptoms. A part of your esophagus may need to be removed. The removed area of your esophagus may be replaced by tissues from your colon.

Copyright © 2012. Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Corrosive Esophagitis (Inpatient Care)