Histologic difference of the nasal mucosa of both nasal cavities in patients with nasal septal deviation

Jang, Yong Ju; Myong, Na Hye; Park, Geun Hwan

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with nasal septal deviation usually manifest compensatory hypertrophy of the mucosa of unilateral nasal cavity. However, the histologic difference of the bilateral septal mucosa of both nasal cavities in patients with nasal septal deviation has not been extensively studied. Thus we tried to investigate histologic difference of both the septal mucosa of both sides in patients with nasal septal deviation. MATERIALS AND MEHTODS: Nasal mucosae taken from 15 patients with nasal septal deviation were studied. About 0.5 x 0.5 cm sized piece of septal mucosae were obtained from the corresponding site of both nasal cavities at 2 cm from the nostril and 2 cm inferior to the nasal dorsum. After staining by hematoxylin-eosin, the histologic differences of the bilateral nasal mucosa were examined under a light microscope.
RESULTS
Surface epithelia of both nasal cavities showed squamous metaplasia or epithelial exfoliation. Inflammatory cell infiltration was more severe in the concave side compared with the convex side. The number of nasal gland were significantly higher in the convex side than in the concave side.
CONCLUSIONS
The result of this study indicated that the concave and convex nasal mucosae in patients with nasal septal deviation have different histologic features in terms of inflammatory cell infiltration, and number of nasal glands.