Deployed Airbag Causes Bullous Reaction Following a Motor Vehicle Accident.

Airbags can be lifesaving during a motor vehicle accident (MVA), but airbag deployment has been the cause of dermatologic injuries including irritant dermatitis, as well as thermal, friction, and chemical burns. A highly corrosive alkaline aerosol composed of sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, and metallic oxides is released during airbag deployment. We present the case of a 35-year-old man who developed a bullous reaction to released by-products from airbag deployment during an MVA.

Utility of reflexive gomori methenamine silver and Acid-fast bacillus staining on bronchoalveolar lavage specimens.

Objective: Reflexive testing of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens with Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) and acid-fast bacillus (AFB) stains is not routinely performed by most institutions. Instead, these stains are usually ordered to evaluate for the presence of fungal elements and/or acid-fast organisms if initial histopathologic assessment suggests the presence of these pathogens. Our institution, however, performs these stains on all BAL specimens.