A 12-year-old girl in Bengaluru experienced a life-threatening medical emergency after consuming liquid nitrogen paan (betel leaf), resulting in a perforation in her stomach. The incident, which initially seemed like a harmless experience, quickly escalated into a serious health scare.
The girl began to feel severe stomach discomfort and was taken to Narayana Multispecialty Hospital in HSR Layout. Upon examination, doctors diagnosed her with perforation peritonitis, a dangerous condition characterized by a hole in the stomach. This condition required immediate surgical intervention to prevent further complications.
Dr. Vijay HS, a Surgical Gastroenterologist at Narayana Health, who performed the surgery, explained that the girl had developed a 4x5 cm necrotic patch, or dead tissue, on the lesser curvature of her stomach due to the consumption of liquid nitrogen. He identified two primary causes for this: the sudden expansion of gas within the stomach and the extremely low temperature of the liquid nitrogen, which caused a cold burn.
Dr. Vijay HS elaborated on the health risks associated with liquid nitrogen. He noted that liquid nitrogen has a temperature between -190 to -200 degrees Celsius, which can cause significant tissue damage similar to a burn. Additionally, liquid nitrogen rapidly expands when it turns into gas, with 1 gram of liquid nitrogen expanding up to 600-700 ml of gas. This rapid expansion can create dangerous pressure inside the stomach, leading to perforations.
In this case, a CT scan confirmed the presence of perforation peritonitis, prompting the medical team to conduct emergency surgery. During the procedure, the surgeons removed the necrotic patch and repaired the stomach with sutures. Fortunately, the girl's condition was stabilized following the surgery, and her life was saved.
This incident underscores the potential dangers of consuming products containing liquid nitrogen, highlighting the severe and life-threatening injuries that can result from such practices. The quick and decisive action by the medical team at Narayana Multispecialty Hospital was crucial in addressing the emergency and ensuring the girl's recovery.
