Teen has stomach removed after drinking Nitrogen Cocktail

[Marc]

http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2012/10/8/197150/default/v1/gaby-scanlon-twitter-nitrogen-cocktails-split-pic-1-1-522x293.jpg

A teenager has had her stomach removed to save her life after drinking a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen.

The 18-year-old, named in reports as Gaby Scanlon, began feeling breathless after consuming the drink during a night out with friends in Lancaster city centre on Thursday.

She then developed severe stomach pain and was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary at about 11pm.

Medics diagnosed the girl with a perforated stomach and were forced to perform emergency surgery to remove the organ, Lancashire Police said.

The girl, from Heysham, remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition, the force added.

Officers have launched an investigation into the incident.

A number of witnesses at the night spot where the drink was bought are being interviewed by police and the licensed premises has stopped selling drinks containing the chemical.

Nitrogen becomes liquid at a temperature of -196 Celsius.

A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said: "Medical opinion is that this would have proved fatal had the operation not been carried out urgently.

"The investigation is still in its early stages and we are still interviewing witnesses to establish the full facts.

"The premises involved have fully co-operated with all agencies and have suspended drinks involving liquid nitrogen."

:o who would sell that?!

[thesheriff443]

make mine a double

[Omah]

Gotta be a crime there somewhere - was it just her drink?

[Niamh.]

They actually sold that in a bar? :shocked:

[Saph]

I don't get the fascination with drinking :suspect: you cant beat a cup of tea

[Marc]

Saph! :worship:

[MTVN]

Never heard of drinks with nitrogen in, quite scary how easily something like this must happen from selling the stuff

[Niamh.]

Never heard of drinks with nitrogen in, quite scary how easily something like this must happen from selling the stuff

If she was sold that in a bar, they're going to be in big trouble, I'd imagine :shocked:

[MTVN]

If she was sold that in a bar, they're going to be in big trouble, I'd imagine :shocked:

Sounds like it's legal though according to the Telegraph article:

Liquid nitrogen has become popular for the making of some elaborate cocktails, with Heston Blumenthal among the most high–profile chefs to use it for culinary purposes.

The liquid form of the gas can be used to flash–freeze substances, and some bars use it to chill glasses or freeze ingredients, producing a dramatic–looking grey vapour.

[Shaun]

sounds like a missed Darwin Award opportunity

[Niamh.]

Sounds like it's legal though according to the Telegraph article:

Really? wow that's worrying :/

[Novo]

It's just one of those really rare things

[Marc]

It's legal? Jeez

[Gstar]

I heard about this not long ago on the radio, sad story =[

[Black Dagger]

I don't get the fascination with drinking :suspect: you cant beat a cup of tea

:lovedup:

[Ammi]

..this is part of another account from a young person..I don't know why they're allowed/or would even want to sell this when they know it can do such harm....surely they're not going to wait until there's been a death...


Within about two seconds, I had collapsed to the floor, unable to breathe or feel anything other than intense pain.

Ambulance arrives. Police arrive. Trip to hospital. Admission. Try to explain to ER staff exactly how something like this happens. Then I pass out.

I wake up next morning connected to many machines, some beeping, others performing more important functions like digesting my food and breathing for me.

Turns out that, in accordance with popular belief, you really should not drink the stuff. I eventually learned a few things about liquid nitrogen. Like... while you can safely put it in your mouth, and blow neat smoke patterns, you should never ever ever swallow. First off, the closing of the epiglottis prevents the nitrogen gas from escaping, so it is forced into your body instead. Second, your esophagus naturally constricts around anything inside it, so, even if there is a thin protective gas layer, the esophagus will find a way to make contact with the liquid nitrogen.

So... the consequences... my entire upper GI tract, from epiglottis to the bottom of the stomach was badly burned, scarred, and perforated. The gas also expanded quite a bit while inside my body. It filled my chest cavity with several liters of nitrogen gas, which was under enough presuure to collapse a lung. So after what I'm told was a grueling all night surgery, they removed part of my stomach, and had my entire digestive system, top to bottom, running on machine power for a while. I also had a breather for the first day or so, until my lung was restored. There are a few details which are considerably uglier which I will spare you.

So... the recovery... they were impressed with my recuperative skills. I could breathe on my own completely after a few days. I could sit up in bed after a week, and was walking in two. About that time, I began to eat again as well. After four weeks, I was up and about again. Now, something like eight weeks, I'm virtually healed, with the exception of a number of unsightly scars

[Smithy]

OMG I know where that bar is, we were there a few weeks ago :o

[Niamh.]

presumably they'll be taking it off the menu now

[BBfanUSA]

Hm very interesting.

Here in america, there's a ice cream frozen by nitrous. Very safe to eat.

Wait how can she live without a stomach?

[Scarlett.]

What a stupid thing to sell

[GiRTh]

Doesn't Heston Blumenthall use Liquid Nitrogen in some of his recipes? This story puzzles me.

[Nedusa]

I expect this woman will sue for Millions in damages and can expect to win, especially if the Bar that served this to her is part of a large Pub chain or Hotel chain. I would also expect a criminal prosecution against the bar manager or restaurant manager.

This is almost beyond belief, words fail me....

[Kizzy]

Wow scary, my daughter is at uni there...
That poor girl =(

[Ammi]

Doesn't Heston Blumenthall use Liquid Nitrogen in some of his recipes? This story puzzles me.

..Yes, but it's not injested...I think you can take it into your mouth and blow steam (although not recommended)...but you can't injest it


Edit:..this explains it better Girth....

Swallowing liquid nitrogen
Yes, there are people who do tricks with liquid nitrogen. One low-temperature physicist makes a toast with liquid nitrogen. It is dangerous - don't do it.
The danger of toasting with liquid nitrogen is the possibility that you might swallow a bit by accident. If this were to happen, then the valve at the top of your stomach might close, trapping some liquid nitrogen inside you. Then some very bad things would happen:
1. The liquid nitrogen would be held in contact with your tissues for long enough to cause damage, possibly freezing your epiglottis or destroying the valve at the top of your stomach or some other part of your mouth, throat or stomach.
2. Second, the rapidly boiling liquid would generate a huge amount of vapor inside you. You might not explode, but it would be extremely unpleasant

[arista]

Its a Effect

She must have drank it to fast, sadly

[arista]

Doesn't Heston Blumenthall use Liquid Nitrogen in some of his recipes? This story puzzles me.

Yes he did
as a side edge effect
and a top adviser near him


http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01461/pheston-blumenthal_1461863c.jpg

[Marc]

presumably they'll be taking it off the menu now

Closing down most probably and facing a heavy fine.

[Niamh.]

Closing down most probably and facing a heavy fine.

a heavy law suit from that girl I'd imagine

[Livia]

Frankly I'm not sure who's the most ridiculous, the people selling it or the people buying it. If you want vapour coming off your drink, buy a coffee.

[Niall]

This is insane. I should hope that selling that kind of drink is illegal. D:

[Ammi]

..I don't think it is illegal, it wasn't left long enough before being drunk

..there wouldn't be any amount of time long enough to get me to drink anything like that

[Niamh.]

..I don't think it is illegal, it wasn't left long enough before being drunk

..there wouldn't be any amount of time long enough to get me to drink anything like that

I remember someone buying me a flaming sambuca for my 19th birthday, I'd never had one before so wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it so I left it lit too long and burned my lips when I went to drink it :bawling:

[Livia]

I remember someone buying me a flaming sambuca for my 19th birthday, I'd never had one before so wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it so I left it lit too long and burned my lips when I went to drink it :bawling:

I guess it's hard to remain an enigmatic woman of mystery with a blister coming up on your lip x

[Ammi]

I remember someone buying me a flaming sambuca for my 19th birthday, I'd never had one before so wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it so I left it lit too long and burned my lips when I went to drink it :bawling:

..ouch!!..not good..I guess that you're less likely to get a serious injury from something like that (don't even know what one looks like)...

....I think with something like liquid nitrogen, which can cause such serious injuries, it should be widely known what the potential dangers are so that anyone drinking it is prepared to take that risk...I personally wouldn't take such a risk and leave the chance of human error

[Ammi]

I guess it's hard to remain an enigmatic woman of mystery with a blister coming up on your lip x

..this is Niamh we're talking about Livia..anything is possible

[Niamh.]

I guess it's hard to remain an enigmatic woman of mystery with a blister coming up on your lip x

:laugh:

..ouch!!..not good..I guess that you're less likely to get a serious injury from something like that (don't even know what one looks like)...

....I think with something like liquid nitrogen, which can cause such serious injuries, it should be widely known what the potential dangers are so that anyone drinking it is prepared to take that risk...I personally wouldn't take such a risk and leave the chance of human error

It's basically just a shot of sambuca set on fire lol

..this is Niamh we're talking about Livia..anything is possible

So true :idc:

[MTVN]

Something like that happened to one of my friends, this waiter was coming round pouring samba into everyone's mouths then lighting it on fire, you were supposed to close your mouth and swallow it as soon as he'd lit it but he left his mouth open too long and it ended up burning him a bit and him spitting it out everywhere, the waiter wasnt too impressed :laugh:

[Nedusa]

..I don't think it is illegal, it wasn't left long enough before being drunk

..there wouldn't be any amount of time long enough to get me to drink anything like that

Seriously.....!!!! You can buy a drink thats OK to drink if you leave it for a while, otherwise it burns your entire gastro intestinal tract and rips your stomach to shreds, collapses your lung(s) and presumably causes major internal bleeding.

Good job she never ate any food there , they would be scaping her remains off the walls....!!!!

[Ammi]

Something like that happened to one of my friends, this waiter was coming round pouring samba into everyone's mouths then lighting it on fire, you were supposed to close your mouth and swallow it as soon as he'd lit it but he left his mouth open too long and it ended up burning him a bit and him spitting it out everywhere, the waiter wasnt too impressed :laugh:

LOL..I bet your friend wasn't too impressed either

[King Gizzard]

Bit unfortunate

[MTVN]

LOL..I bet your friend wasn't too impressed either

Ha no he wasn't, not when along with a burnt mouth he also had to put with an angry Greek waiter telling him off for wasting his sambuca

[Ammi]

Seriously.....!!!! You can buy a drink thats OK to drink if you leave it for a while, otherwise it burns your entire gastro intestinal tract and rips your stomach to shreds, collapses your lung(s) and presumably causes major internal bleeding.

Good job she never ate any food there , they would be scaping her remains off the walls....!!!!

..oh, you can get them in food form as well..frozen cocktails..they're ok though because they've been evaporated so there's no room for human error...or over enthusiastic drinkers...

ydB1e-9S0Tk

[King Gizzard]

ti htiw enod eb dna segareveb cilohocla non knird tsuj elpoep t'nac yhw

[Ammi]

Ha no he wasn't, not when along with a burnt mouth he also had to put with an angry Greek waiter telling him off for wasting his sambuca

..I would have thought the Greek waiter would have been delighted an English tourist burnt his mouth..probably made his day

[King Gizzard]

oh bollocks i cant be bothered to redo that on this screen kebord

[Ammi]

ti htiw enod eb dna segareveb cilohocla non knird tsuj elpoep t'nac yhw

diputs er'yeht esuaceb

[MTVN]

Didn't know you spoke Welsh Nathan

[MTVN]

Oh Ive just realised that's just typed backwards, that's a strange thing to do

[King Gizzard]

thats the 1/4 welsh coming through

[Nedusa]

siht si egaugnal tahw ??

[Redway]

It's just one of those really rare things

Yes but it's the motive that counts...

[King Gizzard]

there isn't a motive it was a massive **** up..

[Redway]

Meh. The drink should still be scrapped tbh or at least inform people on what they're drinking.