Polishing surgical metal pieces, granulomatosis and mineralogical analysis.

This report describes the case of a 44-year-old man with pulmonary nodules whose histological analysis initially suggested tuberculosis. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) culture was negative and a questionnaire revealed a professional activity of brushing and polishing surgical instruments without any protection for 7 years.  A mineralogical analysis by optical and electron microscopy was performed on both a healthy lung tissue biopsy and a lung nodule in a paraffin block. Electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of metal particles (iron oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide and steel) in both samples. This study suggests that mineralogical analysis combined with a questionnaire on dust exposure could help redirect the diagnosis of a dust-related disease.

[Use of talc and sarcoidosis - pathogenic role of cutaneous talc exposure in sarcoidosis]. / Application cutanée de talc et sarcoïdose. A propos de deux cas.

INTRODUCTION: We report on two patients with sarcoidosis with disseminated nodes, who used talc on irritated cutaneous areas. CASE REPORT: A histologic examination with intense polarised light showed up cristalline bi-refringent particles within vessels in contact with granulomatous areas. Microdissection followed by an electronic microscopy study and microanalysis was realised. In situ microanalysis allowed us to identify bi-refringent particles with a size of roughly 0.25microm as silica or silicate coming possibly from talc. We consequently studied a brand name talc. The diffraction spectrum showed that this product not only contained talc but also chlorite and quartz. Electron microscopy examination showed particles of all sizes even smaller than 0.25microm. These infra-microscopic particles, visible in a vessel only when agglomerated, could be invisible under optic microscopy (resolution: roughly 0.5microm) inside the granuloma even though they are responsible for it. Moreover, at this level of size of particles, they may escape mineralogic analyses which use methods involving the destruction of organic material, the mineral residue collecting on cellulose filter with a diameter generally of 0.45microm. CONCLUSION: Two recent epidemiologic studies confirm the possible role of mineral exposure in sarcoidosis. Some sarcoidosis could be caused by mineral overload on genetically predisposed patients. Some cases could be related to mineral powder application. Among different types of mineral exposure, applications of cosmetic products may induce disseminated granulomatous reaction on genetically predisposed patients. Such applications have to be considered in epidemiologic studies.

[Health impact of indoor mineral particle pollution]. / Impact sanitaire de la pollution particulaire minérale à l'intérieur des locaux.

Mineral particle air pollution consists of both atmospheric pollution and indoor pollution. Indoor pollution comes from household products, cosmetics, combustion used to heat homes or cook food, smoking, hobbies or odd jobs. There is strong evidence that acute respiratory infections in children and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in women are associated with indoor biomass smoke. Detailed questioning is essential to identify at risk activities and sampling of airborne particles may help with the identification of pollution risks. Particle elimination depends on the standard of ventilation of the indoor environment. Five per cent of French homes have levels of pollution greater than 180 µg/m³ for PM 10 and 2% for PM 2.5. The principal mineral particle air pollutants are probably silica, talc, asbestos and carbon, whereas tobacco smoke leads to exposure to various ultrafine particles. The toxicity of these particles could be more related to surface exchange than to density. Tissue measurements by electron microscopy and microanalysis of particle samples may identify an uptake of particles similar to those in the environmental sample.

[Analysis of asbestos bodies and nude fibres in the lung parenchyma of operated lung cancers. A retrospective monocentric study of 73 cases]. / Analyse de corps asbestosiques et de fibres nues dans le parenchyme pulmonaire de cancers du poumon opérés. Étude monocentrique rétrospective de 73 cas.

We report on a study concerning a retrospective monocentric series of 73 lung cancers operated on between July 2004 and December 2009. All patients had a mineralogical analysis of a sample of lung tissue combined with an occupational questionnaire. This combination enables us to suggest a declaration of occupational exposure in almost one third of cases. We suggest that a healthy parenchymal fragment is to be obtained by biopsy routinely in cases of lung cancer surgery. The analysis should be carried out if the occupational survey does not demonstrate any evident exposure and if the patient is not known to be presenting a pleuropulmonary disease following asbestos exposure (pleural plaques and asbestosis).