The reasons why the esophagus is spared from injury include rapid transit through the conduit and the histological aspect
of the esophageal epithelium: the stratified squamous cell esophageal epithelium is thick and relatively acid-resistant
compared to the thin single-layered columnar mucosa of the stomach [10].
Most strictures occur in the antropyloric region because this is the most dependent part of the stomach and pyloric spasm leads to concentration of corrosives in the gastric antrum [2]. The intensity and the extent of proximal gastric involvement is not only dependent on the concentration and the quantity of the ingested corrosive but also on the duration of contact with the gastric mucosa as well as whether the stomach is empty or full [4,11].
Thus, ingestion of a large quantity of concentrated corrosive material, whether alkaline or acidic, can injure the esophagus
as much as the stomach. In our series, four patients