Laryngeal Lavage: A Potential Method of Evaluation of Amphibole Fiber Exposure.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to propose a simple procedure for evaluating potential recent heavy exposure to tremolite.

METHODS: One day after an accidental exposure to tremolite in rock dust, sputum was sampled; 3 months later a laryngeal lavage was taken. The sputum was examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the lavage was examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

RESULTS: The sputum was found to contain abundant tremolite while the lavage contained very thin, high aspect-ratio fibers, many in the "Stanton Fiber" range. The abundance of tremolite from the larynx suggests accumulation. The thin fibers exhibit splitting from thicker fibers that were in the lungs.

CONCLUSIONS: Laryngeal lavage may be an important index of asbestos exposure and is a less complex and more diagnostic alternative to bronchoalveolar lavage or sputum sampling.