The natural history of corrosive gastritis

Case reports of 5 patients with corrosive gastritis are presented. The corrosive was ingested accidentally in one, without the patient's knowledge in another, and with suicidal intent in 3. Hydrochloric acid in the form of cleaning fluid was the offending substance in 4 and potassium hydroxide in 1. The natural history of the disease is outlined. The dramatic onset of dyspepsia, the liability to hemorrhage, and the relentless progression to pyloric stenosis is stressed, and the tendency of the pyloric gland area to be selectively involved is confirmed. The entire stomach was stenosed in one, and associated involvement of the esophagus was present in 2 of the patients. The radiological and clinical points of similarity between corrosive gastritis and carcinomatous infiltration of the antrum are mentioned. The danger of gastroscopy in the condition is discussed. Attention is drawn to the finding of low serum albumin values in patients with corrosive gastritis. It is tentatively suggested that the latter may constitute another cause of protein-losing gastropathy. The treatment of the condition is briefly considered.