Pneumoconiosis of coal miners

Pneumoconiosis

The term was coined in 1942 by Industrial Injuries Advisory Council of the Medical Research Council from the United Kingdom, thanks to the contribution of the anatomopathologist Jethro Gough. He observed that coal workers, mineral with a low free silica content, developed a disease similar to silicosis, altough their anatomopathological characteristics were different.

First damage is macula, created due to coal dust deposition in lung, in and out of macroophages. Maculas are usually located sorrounded bronchios, in interstice and in alveoli. Maculas create an structure surrounded bronchioles, producing in some cases stenosis and distortion. Later there could appear nodules, where there could be identified fibrosis and macrophages with coal particles, in a simple chronic way. When these nodules agromerate create progressive massive fibrosis it developes to complicated.

Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of neumoconiosis of the coal workers are similar to silicosis.