A Saudi baby was rescued after inhaling and swallowing an incendiary liquid. The two-and-a-half-year-old suffered corrosion and laceration in her mouth, the esophagus and stomach, as well as burns to the respiratory tract.

The girl swallowed sodium hydroxide, an effervescent substance used in cleaning drains and clogged drains.

Dr. Osama Al-Ghaith, a consultant at Saad Specialist Hospital, said the baby was transferred from a local hospital to Saad Hospital in a critical condition. “What made the situation complex is that sodium hydroxide is an odorless alkaline substance whose effects do not manifest immediately,” he said.

“They react with the mucous tissues causing their dissolution and the emission of deep heat that leads to the laceration of these tissues,” he said.

The doctor said the baby was brought into the pediatric intensive care unit and after clinical examination was completed, she was placed on the breathing apparatus where her vital signs were controlled with a continuous emphasis on oxygen intake. A femoral catheter was made to give anesthetics, muscle relaxants, antibiotics and nutrition intravenously.

In conjunction, digestive system consultants monitored the developments for a potential perforation of the digestive system. Six days later, signs of healing were observed in mucous membranes and lips. The gradual improvement helped the doctors decide to remove the ventilator tube and increase nutrition through the nasal tube. The venous and urinary catheters were removed ing objects off-limits to children.