Asbestos::

• Introduction
• The term asbestos is derived from a
Greek word meaning
"inextinguishable or inconsumable." It
is a generic name for a group of
fibrous silicate minerals, the most
common of which are chrysotile,
crocidolite and amosite.
• Asbestos is non-flammable even at very
high temperatures and is extremely
flexible and durable.
• Asbestos was described in a 1927
•
::3)asbesto Asbestosis is a
general term
sis embracing a # of
fibrous silicates
of magnesium which
will effect the
• Chronic airway according to
inflammatory their deposition::
1) chrysotile
medical condition
affecting the white in color..
parenchymal 2) crocidolite

tissue due long- Blue

term, heavy 3)Amosite

exposure to brown asbestos..

asbestos.


•
 1) chrysotile
Chrysotile or white


asbestosis the most

commonly
encountered form of
asbestos accounting
for approximately 95%
of the asbestos It is a
soft fibrous ..
,so most likely to retain
in the proximal small
airway
chrysotile is a member

of the Serpentine
group, so-named
because the fibers is
curly…

Cont.
 2)Crocidolite::  3)Amosite
 

 Blue  Brown
 

rigid fibers  Rigid fibers as well

• Travels readily in
the airstream ,so
reach the
periphery of the
lung
Cont.. crocidolite

• These properties
may explain WHY
chrysotile causes
lesions in the lung
but rarely plural
Amosite
mesothelioma..
• The MOST important factor
is the amount of
exposure or dust
inhalation ; heavy
exposure for a few years
or exposure to low
levels over many years
are equally likely to
 HOW ASBESTOS EFFECT THE
LUNG
Inhaled asbestos fibers 50 mm


respiratory bronchioles of the LL

alveolar duct fragments r
engulfed by macrophages
completely surrounded by it &
protein cuzingthe dramatic shape of
asbestos body
 Cont..
• Finding asbestos in a sputum sample
only indicate the past exposer to
asbestos & doesn’t indicate the
presence of the disease..
• Fibrosis is first evident around
respiratory bronchioles & then
spread to involve alveolar ducts &
alveoli.
 What do u think will happen as a
compansation???
Cont…
• Unaffected
bronchioles
undergoes
compensatory
dilatation & the
disease my
develop to
honeycomb lung
…
• It commences in
the sub pleural
region of the
lower lobes & cuz
• Fibrosis progresses
upward &
inwards so that
eventually the
middle lobes &
lower parts of
upper lobe
maybe effected
• The mechanism by
which pulmonary
asbestos is not
understood..

There is a theory what do u

think??
 It is subjected that it’s just like silica ..
microphages secrete fibrogenic lysosomal
enzymes or immunological factors may
play a role
• Asbestos may cuz
respiratory failure
Due to the destruction of the

lung tissue this is maybe

accompanied by pulmonary
hypertension ,,&
corpulmonel..
High risk of carcinoma in the

lung with asbestosis

Half of the people having

asbestosis die from lung

carcinoma..
•
•
Caplan syndrome
is swelling
(inflammation) and
scarring of the lungs in
people with
rheumatoid arthritis
who have been
exposed to mining
dust, such as coal,
silica, or asbestos
• Nodules of the skin
(rheumatoid
nodules) is a
characteristics of
this syndrome.

 The 2nd type of coworkers'
pneumoconiosis

biological organic dust ::

 Byssinosis - cotton dust

O th e r le ss co m e n
typ e s
B a u xite fib ro sis - b a u xite
d u st
B e ryllio sis - b e rylliu m
d u st
 Diagnosis
Physical check up will reveal
decreased chest expansion and
abnormal breath sounds
Pulmonary function test will reveal
reduced lung capacity
X-ray will confirm the presence of
nodules in the lungs
CT scan – presence of the nodules,
and can reveal cavitation due to
concomitant mycobacterium
infection.
 History

• Taking a good history is perhaps the

most important step in evaluating
for CWP. Ask patients what their
specific job entails in order to
determine exposure to repairable
coal dust. The length of time spent
underground and the age at first
exposure are important
•
 Signs and symptoms


• Simple CWP produces no

symptoms, especially in
nonsmokers. Symptoms of
complicated CWP include
exertional dyspnea and a
cough that occasionally
produces inky-black
sputum (when fibrotic
changes undergo a
vascular necrosis and their
• Other clinical features of CWP
include increasing dyspnea and
a cough that produces milky,
gray, clear, or coal-flecked
sputum. Recurrent bronchial
and pulmonary infections
produce yellow, green, or thick
sputum.
• Complications include pulmonary
hypertension, right ventricular
hypertrophy and corpulmonale,
and pulmonary tuberculosis
(TB). In cigarette smokers,
chronic bronchitis and
emphysema may also
complicate the disease.
•
 Tretmente
Stopping further exposure to
dust and other lung irritants,
including tobacco smoking.
Cough suppressants.
Antibiotics and antitubercular
agents to prevent tuberculosis.
These include isoniazid,
rifampin, and pyrazinamide.
 Chest physiotherapy to help the
bronchial drainage of mucus.
Oxygen administration to avoid
hypoxemia.
Bronchodilators to facilitate
breathing
•
Thanq 