Bronchiectasis following pulmonary ammonia burn

Long-term follow-up of the pulmonary lesions of severe exposure to ammonia in humans has seldom been documented, and development of bronchiectasis continues to be of concern. We studied a previously healthy 30-year-old woman whose lungs at time of necropsy, three years after massive exposure to ammonia fumes, had extensive cylindrical and saccular bronchiectasis. We concluded that massive exposure to ammonia can lead to bronchiectasis. It is not known, however, whether the bronchiectasis resulted from chemical injury by ammonia or from a superimposed bacterial bronchitis.