Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Endosc. Mar 16, 2026; 18(3): 114327
Published online Mar 16, 2026. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v18.i3.114327
Published online Mar 16, 2026. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v18.i3.114327
Optimizing triage in acute caustic ingestion: Choosing between endoscopy and computed tomography
Anupam K Singh, Department of Gastroenterology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India
Chhagan L Birda, Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, India
Rakesh Kochhar, Department of Gastroenterology, Paras Hospital, Panchkula 134109, India
Author contributions: Singh AK and Birda CL contributed to the initial manuscript writing and literature search; Singh AK and Kochhar R performed critical revision of the manuscript; and all authors read and approved the published version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Rakesh Kochhar, DM, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Paras Hospital, F-Block Ground Floor, Panchkula 134109, India. dr_kochhar@hotmail.com
Received: September 18, 2025
Revised: November 17, 2025
Accepted: January 6, 2026
Published online: March 16, 2026
Processing time: 176 Days and 11.2 Hours
Revised: November 17, 2025
Accepted: January 6, 2026
Published online: March 16, 2026
Processing time: 176 Days and 11.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Endoscopy best assesses mucosal injury, but it cannot reliably evaluate transmural or extra-luminal complications. Computed tomography provides complementary cross-sectional information, identifying necrosis, perforation, and mediastinal or peritoneal involvement, and is especially valuable when endoscopy is contraindicated or inconclusive. Together, they provide a comprehensive evaluation that improves risk stratification and guides management in acute caustic ingestion.