Acute Lung Disease After Exposure to Fly Ash

A 48-year-old man with no history of pulmonary disease developed acute lung disease after the intensive exposure of fly ash. He subsequently had progressive worsening of shortness of breath and hypoxemia to the point of requiring mechanical ventilation. Fly ash is a compound consisting of silicon dioxide and various other substances and is used in industrial settings to generate electricity. Exposure to fly ash may cause irritation to the mucous...