The effect of corticosteroids and pentoxifylline in caustic esophageal burns. A prospective trial in rats.

Abstract Caustic Esophageal Burns (CEB) usually results in scatritial tissue and stricture formation. Management requires preventing the massive inflammatory process that ensues in its early phase and decreasing bacterial complications. An animal model was created to investigate the effect of corticosteroids and pentoxifylline in CEB using 52 male Wistar rats. The injury was produced using an indwelling esophageal catheter through which 3N of 12% sodium hydroxide was infused. The rats were grouped as control, CEB, CEB and ceftazidime (CEB-C, 100 mg/kg/day im. bid. 10 days), CEB and ceftazidime plus dexamethasone (CEB-CD, 0.1 mg/kg/day im. bid. 4 weeks) and CEB and ceftazidime plus pentoxifylline (CEB-CP, 50 mg/kg/day im. tid. 4 weeks). The groups were evaluated making use of esophagograms, hydroxyproline (OH-P) contents and histologic examination of the specimens 28 days after injury. No significant statistical differences were observed among the dexamethasone (CEB-CD), pentoxifylline (CEB-CP), antibiotics (CEB-C) and the untreated CEB groups.