Intensive Care Med 2025 5111641167 httpsdoi.org10.1007s00134-025-07920-2

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Intensive Care Med (2025) 51:1164–1167 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-025-07920-2 WHAT’S NEW IN INTENSIVE CARE Ten tips for managing caustic ingestion in adult patients Thaïs Walter 1,2* , Sophie Gosselin 3,4,5 and Benjamin Deniau 2,6,7 © 2025 Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature Caustic or corrosive ingestion in adult patient is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition with a mortality of 10% among intensive care unit (ICU) patients [1, 2]. This narrative review outlines ten essential tips for managing patients with caustic ingestion. (1) Intubate early and look for signs of hollow organ perforation The priority is to exclude upper airway obstruction. A change in voice, appearance of inspiratory dyspnea or stridor and a uvula edema should prompt emergency intubation [3]. During laryngoscopy, vocal cord lesions and signs of aspiration should be assessed. In cases of airway obstruction, a short course of corticosteroids may be considered, based on a rationale similar to that used for laryngeal edema in the prevention of extubation failure [4]. Signs of hollow organ perforation (thoracic emphysema and abdominal guarding) should prompt immediate transf...