Nitrogen Oxide Inhalation Lung Injury From an Industrial Explosion: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: An industrial explosion released nitrogen oxide, which a 43-year-old man inhaled at work. He developed cough and exertional dyspnea without hypoxemia, and chest computed tomography obtained two days after exposure showed poorly defined centrilobular ground-glass nodules predominantly in the lingular and lower lobes. Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed an increased total cell count with mild lymphocytosis. Transbronchial lung biopsy demonstrated type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, mural thickening with focal fibrosis, and fibrin deposition consistent with centri-acinar dominant alveolitis. Supportive care without corticosteroids led to clinical and radiologic resolution. This case highlights the latent onset pattern after nitrogen oxide inhalation and provides clinicoradiologic-pathologic correlation for a mild presentation, suggesting that careful observation may be reasonable when oxygenation is preserved and no progression is observed.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.93491
Author: Hitokazu Tsukao
Institution: Fukui Prefectural Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414609374