CHEMICAL GASTRO-ESOPHAGITIS, UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL HEMORRHAGE AND GASTROSCOPIC FINDINGS FOLLOWING DETTOL POISONING

1 Dettol liquid (chloroxylenol 4.8%, pine oil, isopropyl alcohol), a household disinfectant, has a corrosive action on the gastrointestinal mucosa when swallowed. The incidence of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage and gastroscopic findings following Dettol poisoning was studied in 89 patients. 2 Five patients (5.6%) developed minor haematemesis, in the form of coffee-coloured or blood-stained vomitus. One patient had a gastroscopy performed on the day after admission, showing signs of chemical burns in the oesophagus and stomach. Gastroscopy was performed in oneother patient on day 11 to rule out oesophageal stricture; the patient was normal. All patients completely recovered. 3 The data from this study suggest that upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage following Dettol poisoning tends to be mild and self-limiting, Gastroscopy, which may increase the risk of aspiration in patients with impaired consciousness, is not required unless other causes of gastrointestinal bleeding are suspected.