Sudden Death Due to Neck Blows Among Amateur Hockey Players

tracheobronchial tree occurs between 4 and 12 hours. High concentrations induce pseudomembranous changes in the airways, and may result in airway necrosis. The clinical course is frequently complicated by secondary bacterial pneumonias. Our patient’s initial ophthalmic and ongoing pulmonary symptoms are consistent with exposure to a vesicant such as mustard gas. The majority of medical reports regarding exposure to mustard gas describe the respiratory symptoms of soldiers involved in various military conflicts, including World War I and the Iran-Iraq war. None of these reports, however, has described bronchiolitis obliterans resulting from exposure to mustard gas or among civilian populations specifically targeted by chemical warfare. We suggest that bronchiolitis obliterans should be considered in patients with respiratory symptoms who have a history of possible exposure to mustard gas.