Citation

Zheng Y, Yang X, Ni X. Postgrad. Med. 2018; 130(6): 511-514.

Affiliation

Department of Anesthesiology , General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University , Yinchuan 750004 , Ningxia , China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Vendome Group)

DOI

10.1080/00325481.2018.1494492

PMID

29999439

Abstract

A 25-year-old man developed a gastric perforation after ingesting a homemade drink containing liquid nitrogen. Surgical repair had to be postponed to seek consultations with experts because the available practitioners in this case, including emergency physicians, surgeons, and anesthesiologists, had little experience and knowledge about the source of the patient's pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient ultimately underwent exploratory laparotomy with general anesthesia, considering that delaying the operation would lead to a longer duration of bacterial peritonitis and delay the standard treatment of postoperative systemic infectious complications. Our literature review revealed that barotrauma is the unique injury mechanism underlying liquid nitrogen ingestion. Injuries to the airway and esophagus are rare.

Language: en

Keywords

barotrauma; case report; gastric perforation; liquid nitrogen ingestion