Abstract

Two different thoracic events complicated the posttraumatic recovery after a roll-over accident of a farmer, who was severely injured by a rolling hay bale, which came into move and overrolled the farmer. The patient was kept on clinical survey for 2 days and could be discharged in good condition, the lungs completely free of pathological findings. The usual controls during the next 6 months did not show any relevant changes in chest x-ray, although the respiratory symptoms increased. At this time, after returning back to his farm from an orthopedic recreation center symptoms of acute farmer’s lung started with fever and dyspnea. Only six months later the full picture of an exogenous allergic alveolitis could be found by CT scan and by the finding of relevant precipitins against the special hay produced in this farm. The subsequently started inhalative and systemic steroid therapy resolved symptoms and radiological findings completely. The patient recovered and had no repeated episode of an acute alveolitis. According to the reports of similar accidents in the internet a generally tendency to a bad outcome of the injured farmers is notable. A probably reason might be the co-incidence of a thoracic trauma with lung contusion followed by an abnormal excessive inhalative challenge by hay dust, thus providing an additional risk for recovery.

Author Details

Authors

• G. Ott

Departments

• Facharzt für Lungenkrankheiten, Arbeits- und Betriebsmedizin, Innsbruck, Österreich

Address

MR Dr. med. G. Ott
Adamgasse 9a
A–6020 Innsbruck, Österreich
Email: [email protected]

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