A 52-year-old woman in Sanming, Fujian Province died of ruptured stomach after drinking too much soda during a family feast, the Fujian Daily reports on July 22.

The woman surnamed Huang underwent emergency surgery at a nearby hospital where doctors found around three liters of a liquid mixture containing partially-digested food in her stomach that, as one doctor put it, “looked like a burst balloon” . She later died in hospital.

Huang, who had a history of stomach illness, had experienced sharp pain in her abdomen for three hours before seeking medical attention. Doctors on duty concluded that the wall of her stomach ruptured after drinking an excessive amount of carbonated beverages during the feast.

A doctor explained that ruptures caused by overeating and overdrinking are rare, as the stomach can expand twice its normal size, adding that excessive eating and drinking may cause acute stomach dilatation, which can induce shock or even death.

Web Editor: liyingxa@globaltimes.com.cn