Doctors have
pumped 15 cans of beer into a man’s stomach to stop him dying from alcohol
poisoning, according to local reports.
Nguyen Van
Nhat’s life was saved after medics at General Hospital in Quang Tri, Vietnam,
transfused five litres of beer into his body.
The
48-year-old had passed out and been rushed to hospital in a critical condition
on Boxing Day 2018 with a blood alcohol level of 1,119 times higher than the
allowable limit.
Dr Le Van
Lam, head of the Intensive Care Unit, told local media that they immediately
pumped three cans (one litre) of beer to slow down his liver’s processing of
methanol.
According to
Dr Lam, one can of beer was given to Nhat every hour. After 15 cans were
administered he was completely conscious.
The doctor explained that a
person’s stomach and intestines continue to release alcohol into the
bloodstream even if they are unconscious or have stopped drinking, and for a
period alcohol levels in the body continue to rise.
Alcohol comes in two
variants, methanol and ethanol, and the human liver breaks down ethanol first
as a priority.
The man became unconscious
when the methanol in his system oxidised to formaldehyde which in turn produced
formic acid, according to Dr Lam.
To prevent oxidising
formaldehyde to formic acid, giving beer to the methanol-poisoned patient gave
medics enough time to perform dialysis.
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