Molten aluminium inhalation in the nose and ethmoid sinus. Report of an unusual case

Accidental nasal inhalation of molten aluminium can occur during the industrial production of aluminium in spite of stringent safety precautions. In this case, believed to be the first reported in the literature, the initial evaluation of damage to the nasal mucosa was underestimated, because, in addition to a large nugget of aluminium in one nasal fossa, smaller fragments had penetrated deep into the middle meatus. These smaller fragments, undetected because of the poor radiopacity of aluminium, were responsible for extensive tissue damage which caused ethmoiditis and secondary maxillary sinusitis.