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Short Communication | Health and Medical Sciences | India | Volume 12 Issue 12, December 2023

Bronchiectasis - A Delayed Sequela of Occupational Hazards: A Rare Case Report

Dr. Muskan Gollen | Dr. Swadip Mishra | Pratima Singh ^[2] | Pravati Dutta

Abstract: Ammonia is a highly irritant gas with a pungent odor. Pressurized ammonia is used as a refrigerant for storage and transport purposes. Acute events following ammonia exposure usually are manifested as cough, dyspnoea, laryngeal edema, pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress, and acute lung injury (ALI) whereas post - exposure events may lead to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiectasis as long term sequelae. In this reported case, a45 - year - old non - smoker male had accidental workplace exposure to ammonia for an hour. He had been managed with mechanical ventilatory support due to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). After being recovered from acute complications, he was discharged from the hospital. Then he developed recurrent episodes of cough and dyspnea. He was diagnosed to have developed COPD and bronchiectasis as a long - term sequela of accidental massive inhalational exposure to noxious gas (anhydrous ammonia). Usually mucosa of upper respiratory tract absorbed maximal anhydrous ammonia protecting the lower respiratory tract from injury. But this patient developed bronchiectasis as a chronic manifestation of massive anhydrous ammonia gas exposure whose incidences are not known.

Keywords: Inhalational injury, noxious gas, anhydrous ammonia, bronchiectasis, COPD

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 12, December 2023,

Pages: 1234 - 1237