Clinical impact of upper gastrointestinal tract injuries in glyphosate-surfactant oral intoxication

1 Fifty patients with glyphosate-surfactant oral ingestion were studied wit h upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopic grading using Zargar's modified g rading system for mucosal corrosive injury. 2 Esophageal injury was seen in 68% of the patients, gastric injury in 72%, and duodenal injury in 16%, There were no grade 3 injuries. The upper gast rointestinal tract injuries caused by glyphosate-surfactant were minor in c omparison with those by other strong acids. 3 The WBC count, amount of glyphosate-surfactant ingested, length of hospit al stay and the occurrence of serious complications increased markedly in t he group which had grade 2 esophageal injuries. Thus, the severity of the e sophageal injuries may be a prognostic factor for the patient with glyphosa te-surfactant ingestion. 4 The UGI endoscopy may be indicated for grading esophageal injury in patie nts who have ingested glyphosate-surfactant in amounts greater than 100 mi. physicians should pay more attention to the patients with grade 2 or 3 eso phageal injuries to prevent serious complications and to provide aggressive supportive care.