[Pathological changes in coal miner pneumoconiosis patients' larger airway mucosa].
OBJECTIVE
To study the pathological changes of the larger airway mucosa in coal miner pneumoconiosis patients.


METHODS
The 23 pneumoconiosis patients' specimens were observed under fibrobronchoscope and examined by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope, with 19 chronic bronchitis patients (all complicated with emphysema) and 5 workers who had the history of dust inhalation but no lesions in the lungs as the controls.


RESULTS
Scattered macular black areas, orifice stenoses and lumen abnormalities appeared in the larger airways of the pneumoconiosis patients and the controls who had the history of dust inhalation. Fibroplastic proliferation, smooth muscular distortion and lesions in various microstructures of columnar ciliated epithelial cells were also seen by microscopy among them.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that the above pathological changes were caused by the direct injuries of coal dust granules to the larger airways.
Hou
L
L
Central Hospital of Zaozhuang Mining Bureau.
Li
X
X
Peng
J
J
D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003032:Coal Mining; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000473:pathology*