The Dangerous Snack; “Dragon’s Breath”: Case Report

Abstract

Liquid nitrogen is used in various sectors due to its non-toxic, inert, easily accessible, cheap and fast cooling feature. It is also frequently preferred because it allows alternative forms of food to be served in the kitchen. Especially in the summer season, when eating cold snacks prepared with liquid nitrogen, the evaporation of nitrogen from the mouth and nose in the form of smoke (dragon breath) attracts the attention of people. A partial gastrectomy was performed on a 54-year-old female patient who arrived at the emergency service with complaints of severe abdominal pain and bloating shortly after eating liquid nitrogen-impregnated corn chips due to pneumoperitoneum and perforation of the lesser curvature of the stomach. In the control examination, it was determined that an incisional hernia with a diameter of 5.5 cm. Our case of gastric perforation due to liquid nitrogen-impregnated food intake, which emergency physicians generally encounter, is the first in the literature regarding forensic medical evaluation. This case, for which a forensic report was prepared before, was shared with the readers to clear up a little misunderstanding of the use of the Guide for Forensic Evaluation of Injury Crimes.

Keywords

• liquid nitrogen-infused snack
• dragon’s breath
• gastric perforation
• dry-ice