A case of gastrorrhexis caused by ingestion liquid nitrogen

Abstract

Liquid nitrogen is frequently employed for freezing, and we report an experience of gastrorrhexis caused by its ingestion. This report of injury caused by ingestion of liquid nitrogen is to our knowledge, the first in Japan. The case was a 17 year-old male, who drank about 30ml of orange juice mixed with half the volume of liquid nitrogen at an entertainment stall in his high-school festival. A furious abdominal pain developed immediately after, and he was transported to our emergency department. At admission, marked abdominal distention and free gas occupying about half of the abdominal cavity were observed. On abdominal CT, free gas in the abdomen, in posterior the abdominal cavity and in the mediastinal space were observed. On endoscopy, a longitudinal ulcer was observed in the lesser curvature of the stomach. Frostbite and pressure injury should be considered first as the cause of injuries following the intake of liquid nitrogen. In this case, pressure injury by nitrogen gas radicals was considered to be the main cause of gastrorrhexis.