Late silicosis - the rare form of pneumoconiosis

A clinical case of a relatively rare variant of pneumoconiosis, late silicosis, which developed 25 years after the termination of contact with fibrogenic dust, is described. The patient was examined at the consultative and outpatient department of the North-West Scientific Center for Hygiene and Public Health (the clinical base of the Department of Military Field Therapy of S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy). It was established that the patient worked for 15 years as a crusher at a mining and processing plant, where the work was accompanied by exposure to dust of fibrogenic action (granite gneiss) containing free crystals of silicon dioxide, noise, vibration and an unfavorable microclimate, and also worked as a repairman for 12 years where it was exposed to abrasive dust, noise and adverse climate. In the general assessment of working conditions, taking into account the combined and combined effects of harmful factors, they are considered harmful to the crusher (class3.3) and acceptable to the crusher / repairman (class 2.0). For the entire period of work of this employee, occupational diseases were not established and he was not referred to a professional pathologist. Based on the study of a professional history, data on the sanitary and hygienic characteristics of working conditions, the results of a clinical examination, including physical and laboratory methods, spirography, fibrobronchoscopy, radiography and computed tomography of the lungs, a diagnosis of late silicosis was established.