Rare occupational cause of nasal septum perforation: Nickel exposure

• Authors: Ertugrul C. Bolek , Abdulsamet Erden , Cagri Kulekci , Umut Kalyoncu , Omer Karadag

Abstracts

EN

Many etiologies are held accountable for nasal septum perforations. Topical nasal drug usage, previous surgeries, trauma, nose picking, squamous cell carcinoma, some rheumatological disorders such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener granulomatosis), some infectious diseases such as syphilis and leprosy are among the causes of the perforations. Occupational heavy metal exposures by inhalation rarely may also cause nasal septum perforation. Here, we present a 29-year-old patient without any known diseases, who is a worker at a metallic coating and nickel-plating factory, referred for investigation of his nasal cartilage septum perforation from an otorhinolaryngology clinic. The patient questioning, physical examination and laboratory assessment about rheumatic and infectious diseases were negative. There was a metallic smell in the breath during the physical examination. The analysis showed serum nickel level at 31 μg/l and urine nickel at 18 μg/l (84.11 μg/g creatinine). Other possible serum and urine heavy metal levels were within normal ranges. Nickel exposure is usually together with other heavy metals (chromium or cadmium), it is rarely alone. Nickel ingested by inhalation usually leads to respiratory problems such as reduced olfactory acuity, ulcers, septum perforation or tumors of the nasal sinuses. This case demonstrates the importance of occupational anamnesis and awareness of diagnosis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):963–967

Keywords

EN

occupational medicine; nickel; nickel exposure; nasal septum perforation; occupational toxic heavy metal exposure; inhalation toxicity

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2017
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 963-967

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

Ertugrul C. Bolek

• Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine)

author

Abdulsamet Erden

• Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology)

author

Cagri Kulekci

• Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology)

author

Umut Kalyoncu

• Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology)

author

Omer Karadag

• Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01019

Biblioteka Nauki

2161840