Caustic oesophageal burns in children. Aetiological, epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects based on a series of 52 cases at Cotonou university hospital.

Fifty-two children (mean age = 4,1 years) were admitted from 1992 to 1997 for an caustic burn of the oesophagus,Caustic ingestions were accidental in children less than 10 years old and mainly suicidal in older children. Burns were due to alkalines (82 %), acids (14 %), on insecticide (4 %). The ingested product was decanted from its original packing in 88% of cases. Thirty-six malades had an exclusive medical treatment, including a naso-gastric tube in 3. Endoscopic treatement included naso-gastric tube (n = 4) and bouginage (n = 5). An oesophagoplasty using a colonic transplant was performed in 8 children (15 %), always after a previous feeding gastrostomy to improve the nutritional status. There was no operative mortality. These results are conformable with the main points of the literature. They underline the difficulties in the management of patients with caustic burns of the oesophagus and allow to determine preventive measures of this disease in children of Benin.