THE BRITISH toddler who suffered severe internal burns after ingesting orange juice containing highly corrosive acid was yesterday eating normally after her tests came back clear.
“The gastrography showed no anomaly in the shape of her oesophagus, or any narrowing. The image was that of any normal oesophagus. We are extremely happy with the results,” Makarios Hospital paediatric department head Dr Andreas Hadjidemetriou said.
The test – which is like an internal x-ray of the oesophagus – was deemed necessary to get a clearer picture of Annabel Rhodes’ condition.
The doctor said that so far the two-and-a-half-year-old’s prognosis looked good and there appeared to be no permanent damage as had initially been feared.
“She will need another test in about three or four weeks. An oesophagoscopy will tell us more about the condition of her oesophagus,” Hadjidemetriou said.
An oesophagoscopy is the examination of the oesophagus under general anaesthetic. The short operation allows a surgeon to look at the inside a patient’s oesophagus to find any problems that may be affecting swallowing.
“[But] so far everything looks very good,” the doctor said.
By lunchtime, Annabel had drunk some milk and eaten some cake and ice cream, he said.
“She started off with light foods that don’t cause injury. She was able to swallow without difficulty and we have started to reduce the intravenous fluids and TPN [Total Parenteral Nutrition],” he said.
If all continued well, the toddler could be discharged as early as tomorrow.
“If she carries on being able to swallow normally and we continue to take her off the drip and TPN she should be okay to leave on Wednesday,” he said.
Hadjidemetriou said Annabel’s parents, Mark and Judith, had received the news with great relief.
“They are very happy and are not going to leave,” he said.
The couple, who have reportedly been extremely satisfied with the level of care their daughter has received since the incident occurred 10 days ago, chose to keep Annabel at the Makarios Hospital to wait for the outcome of yesterday’s test. They had been given the option to travel back to the UK last week after the toddler was taken off the critical list.
“The little girl is up and smiling and singing. She is a very happy child,” Hadjidemetriou said.
Annabel suffered serious burns to her mouth, throat and respiratory organs when she drank orange juice accidentally diluted with dishwasher fluid at the four-star Curium Palace Hotel in Limassol.
The incident occurred when the barman mistook a bottle containing the colourless and odourless detergent, which contains nitric acid, for water.
Her parents, Mark and Judith, have declined to comment throughout the ordeal and have asked for privacy.
Meanwhile, the three-year-old girl who was critically injured in a horrific crash last Tuesday was yesterday taken off the respirator.
“We took her off the respirator but are closely monitoring her condition because it might be necessary to reintubate. Her condition is still critical,” Hadjidemetriou said.
Eleni Theodoridou suffered severe neurocranial damage in a crash that left her father dead, her mother in serious condition and her two siblings injured. The driver of another car was also killed in the same accident.
A brain scan has shown the child suffered extensive damage. Whether the damage will remain permanent is still too early to say, doctors have said.
