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Occupational Medicine 2005 55(2):142-144; doi:10.1093/occmed/kqi043
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Occupational Medicine, Vol. 55 No. 2 © Society of Occupational Medicine 2005; all rights reserved

Case Report

Anosmia in association with occupational use of a waterproof coating chemical

Timo Hannu, Elina Toskala, Timo Tuomi and Markku Sainio

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health—Department of Occupational Medicine, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FIN-02500, Helsinki, Finland

Abstract A case of acute permanent anosmia is described in a renovation worker during exposure to a waterproof coating chemical. The chemical consisted of several substances of which four (acetone, acrylates, butyl acetate and carbon disulfide) has been previously reported to induce hyposmia or anosmia in workers. Other aetiologies were clinically excluded but a large arachnoidea cyst in the frontal part of the left temporobasal fossa with possible compression of the left entorhinal cortex. The toxic aetiology of anosmia is supported by the acute onset and the temporal relationship with occupational exposure. The silent cyst as the cause of anosmia is improbable, but it may have had some contributory role. Our case illustrates both the challenges when clinically examining patients with work-related olfactory impairment and the importance of multi-disciplinary approach to such patients.

Keywords      Acrylates; anosmia; carbon disulphide; occupational exposure; olfactory function; volatile organic compounds

Correspondence to: Timo Hannu, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health—Department of Occupational Medicine, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FIN-02500 Helsinki, Finland. Tel: +358 03 4742575; fax: +358 03 4742149; Email: timo.hannu{at}ttl.fi


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