Even as medical science advances, physicians occasionally face conditions requiring resourceful solutions. In a recently published case study, doctors at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston successfully treated a 60-year-old patient’s rare gastric bezoar – a mass of undigested material – with an unlikely prescription: Coca-Cola. The case, detailed in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlights an unexpected application for the widely consumed beverage and offers a perhaps less-invasive alternative to surgery or endoscopy for certain patients.
Medical history is filled with treatments we now find unsettling. Practices like bloodletting and leeching, once believed to purge illness, thankfully have been replaced by far more precise and effective modern techniques. However, even with advancements in medicine, healthcare professionals sometimes encounter situations where conventional treatments fall short.
An Emergency Room Mystery
Emergency departments are often the setting for unusual and complex medical cases, a reality frequently depicted in medical dramas. In 2025, a woman in her sixties presented to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston experiencing persistent and severe gastrointestinal distress. She reported months of nausea, vomiting, and a burning pain radiating from her upper abdomen to her back.
The patient had a complex medical history, including type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney insufficiency, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Despite these pre-existing conditions, none fully explained the severity of her current symptoms. Doctors at the hospital detailed their investigation in the New England Journal of Medicine, outlining a series of tests, scans, and imaging procedures. These revealed a dilation of the bile ducts and a significantly distended stomach caused by what physicians termed a “gastric bezoar” – a solid mass of undigested material, often composed of fruits and vegetables.
A Carbonated Solution
Gastric bezoars are rare occurrences, according to specialists, and often difficult to diagnose. The solution, however, proved surprisingly accessible. While surgical removal or endoscopic intervention are typical treatments, doctors considered an alternative approach: a prescription for Coca-Cola.
Despite its well-known health drawbacks, the carbonated beverage possesses acidic properties that can break down the fibrous components of a bezoar. The medical team prescribed 3000 milliliters – roughly eight and a half cans – to be consumed over 12 hours. The patient, disliking the taste, opted for a smaller dose of 1500 milliliters. Within 24 hours, she reported feeling significantly better, and a subsequent endoscopic examination confirmed the bezoar had dissolved.
This case suggests Coca-Cola may offer a solution for this unusual condition. However, physicians caution against using it to self-treat abdominal pain, emphasizing that its effectiveness is limited to aiding digestion during mild bloating. This finding highlights the sometimes unexpected ways existing substances can be repurposed for medical benefit.
Illustration : Shutterstock – 2636427005
References :
Hospitalisée en urgence, les médecins lui prescrivent du Coca-Cola… et elle guérit en 24h – https://www.science-et-vie.com/corps-et-sante/hospitalisee-en-urgence-les-medecins-lui-prescrivent-du-coca-cola-et-elle-guerit-en-24h-213448.html
A Fizzy Fix – https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMimc2502450
L’alimentation de masse au 21ème siècle – https://cursus.edu/fr/25694/lalimentation-de-masse-au-21eme-siecle
Diagnostic dilemma: A woman’s nausea was triggered by a huge mass in her stomach — which doctors dissolved with diet soda – https://www.livescience.com/health/diagnostic-dilemma-a-womans-nausea-was-triggered-by-a-huge-mass-in-her-stomach-which-doctors-dissolved-with-diet-soda
Se préparer aux urgences médicales avec le jeu – https://cursus.edu/fr/8417/se-preparer-aux-urgences-medicales-avec-le-jeu
