Volume 26, Issue 127, September 2022

Nitrogen pneumonitis - A case of chemical pneumonitis with complications caused by inhalation of nitrogen gas

Ashwin Kailash¹, Ghanshyam Verma^2♦, Raja Amarnath³, Sushma Kalmodia⁴, Mahitha Reddy⁵, Aiswarya Ravichandran⁶

¹Senior Resident, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India
²Associate professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India
³Head of the Department, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India
⁴Clinical Research Director, DGS Healthcare Private Limited Bhopal, India
⁵Post graduate, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India
⁶Research Analyst, CIPACA Institute of Research, CIPACA, Chennai, India

^♦Corresponding author
Associate Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen oxides are low water soluble and can reach till distal airways and cause toxic effects when exposed to high concentration. It stimulates free radical generation, results in protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and epithelial damage; and it reduces resistance to infection by altering macrophage and defence mechanism. Farmers who exposed to silos, fire fighters, and coal miners after firing of explosives, air conditioning workers are more prone to develop inhalation injury. Here we report a case of 17 year old male diagnosed as nitrogen gas related chemical pneumonitis presented with moderate ARDS and progressive hemorrahagic effusion. Oxygen therapy, Intercostal drainage and steroids were administered resulting remission of symptoms and radiological improvement. Patient was discharged and followed up.

Keywords: Pneumonitis, Nitrogen, Hemorrhagic Effusion, Corticosteroids

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms378e2345

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i127/ms378e2345

Published: 23 September 2022