You may have heard of the pornstar martini cocktail – it’s all the rage in Cape Town at the moment. A bar in the UK added a new twist to the popular drink, adding liquid nitrogen to give it that cool, smoky effect, falling down the rim of the glass. This proved problematic to a UK teen who ended up in hospital as a result.

Gaby Scanion was celebrating her 18th birthday at a bar called ‘Oscar’s’ in Lancaster in the UK, and the pornstar martini seemed like the perfect choice for a celebration. She realised that things went a little wrong when she began to feel breathless after drinking it, and then began feeling severe pains and cramps in her stomach.

The problem turned out to be the liquid nitrogen the bar adds to the drink, a liquid so cold that it is known for freezing anything it touches. It evaporates at -196°C, and can wreak havoc if inhaled or swallowed. Parts of your mouth and throat can freeze, and it can cause the contents of your stomach to boil, releasing vapours that cause it to expand. This is exactly what happened to Gaby – whose stomach perforated. It had to be removed in hospital, where she is now making a recovery.

The bar has issued a statement expressing its concern and wishes for the teen, and has completely co-operated with authorities. It has also removed all liquid-nitrogen based drinks from its cocktail menu.

[Source: Daily Mail]