Ammonia Exposure: A Common Cause for Sinusitis a Case Report and Review of the Literature

Sinuses are a part of the upper respiratory system and sinusitis has been well-defined as an inflammation of the mucous membrane. Sinusitis occurs commonly as a result of allergies, polyps, common cold and environmental pollution. Reports of sinusitis secondary to ammonia exposure, while common clinically from a reporting point of view, have not been described extensively in the literature. We describe here a patient who was exposed to ammonia gas and developed chronic relapsing sinusitis. The mechanism of injury and review of the world literature indicate that although common clinically, chronic sinusitis as a result of ammonia exposure has not been described extensively.