DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i01.0077

Pages: 361-363

Caustics cause both clinical and histologic damage on contact with tissue surfaces. They are available in both solid and liquid forms, with variations in viscosity, concentration of solution, and pH. The severity of a caustic injury may not be immediately evident in patients who present shortly after exposure. An acid is a proton donator and causes significant injury, generally at a pH below 3. The extent of injury is determined by duration of contact; ability of the substance to penetrate tissues; volume, pH, and concentration; the presence or absence of food in the stomach; and a property known as titratable acid reserve (TAR). Here we are presenting fatal intentional consumption of caustic with autopsy findings followed by short review of literature.