Acute Gastric Dilatation After Excessive Alcohol Consumption

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 9; p. e68744
• Main Authors: Zokumasu, Koichi, Natori, Yuki, Kawakami, Masaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 05.09.2024; Cureus
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal surgery; Alcohol; Anorexia; Binge eating; Blood; Bulimia; Diabetes; Drunkenness; Eating behavior; Eating disorders; Emergency medical care; Emergency Medicine; Endoscopy; Gastroenterology; Intoxication; Leukocytes; Medical imaging; Pain; Patients; Radiology; Ulcers; Vomiting; heavy alcohol consumption; gastroenterology; emergency medicine; frequent vomiting; acute gastric dilatation
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.68744

Acute gastric dilatation (AGD) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, commonly associated with mechanical obstructions or systemic conditions such as diabetes and eating disorders. This report describes a 46-year-old man who was brought to the emergency department with frequent vomiting as his chief complaint. He was a habitual heavy drinker and had consumed a large amount of alcohol the night before his admission. He had a previous hospitalization for AGD triggered by excessive alcohol intake a year earlier. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed gastric distension, and his symptoms improved following nasogastric decompression. No significant abnormalities were found during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy performed after his admission. He was discharged on the fifth day without any complications. This case represents a rare instance of acute gastric dilatation triggered by excessive alcohol consumption. AGD induced by alcohol presents unique clinical challenges compared to typical cases caused by overeating. Specifically, frequent vomiting following heavy alcohol intake can lead clinicians to consider diagnoses such as acute alcohol intoxication or alcoholic ketoacidosis, which may divert attention from the potential for concurrent AGD. This case underscores the importance of considering AGD in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with frequent vomiting after excessive drinking, illustrating the critical need for careful evaluation to avoid misdiagnosis.