Corrosives Poisoning: Magenstrasse

Introduction

• corrosives  Poisoning: Magenstrasse(the gastric cannal or furrow)
• It is a groove in the stomach along the lesser curvature that is the route food and liquids tend to take in moving toward the pylorus and that is a frequent site of peptic ulcer formation.

Corrosives  fix,  destroy  and erode  the  surface  with which  they  come  in  contact.  They mainly  act locally  by 

1. Hygroscopic: Extraction  of  water from  tissues,
2. Coagulation  of proteins  and
3. Conversion  of haemoglobin  into  hematin.

As  a  rule  there  is  no  remote  systemic  action  with  exception to  shock.  Corrosives  are:

1. Mineral  acid:  Sulphuric  acid (H₂SO₄),  nitric acid, hydrochloric acid.
2. Organic  acid: Oxalic  acid,  carbolic  acid,  salicylic acid,  acetic  acid.
3. Vegetable  acid:  Hydrocyanic  acid.
4. Alkalis:  Caustic  potash,  caustic  soda,  ammonium  hydroxide.

• Magenstrasse  is  the  term  applied  to  the  pathway  acidic  agents  follow  in  stomach.
• The  pathway  of  acids and alkalis  in  food  filled  stomach  starts  along  the  lesser  curvature  of  the  stomach  and leads  to  the  pylorus.
• This  explains  the location  of greatest damage in  food  filled  stomach.
• Stomach  without  food  have significant  injury  in  the  lower  half  of  two thirds and  may  have sparing  of fundus.

Exam Important

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