Effects of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection and Mechanical Trauma to the Sinus Mucosa on Polyp Formation in the Rabbit Maxillary Sinuses

Hong, Soon Kwan; Hong, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Chong Nahm; Kim, Chun Dong; Byun, Sung Wan; Kim, Yun Joung

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop an animal model of polyps that is more suitable for further polyp studies by semiquantitatively analyzing the effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and/or mechanical trauma to the sinus mucosa, based on the epithelial rupture theory, on polyp formation in the rabbit maxillary sinuses. The natural ostia were occluded in 30 Pasturellafree New Zealand white rabbits. All rabbits were divided into three groups according to the following modes of manipulation on the right maxillary sinus: inoculation with P. aeruginosa (group A), brushing of the sinus mucosa (group B), and inoculation with P. aeruginosa accompanied by brushing of the mucosa (group C). The left maxillary sinuses were used as the control. After four weeks, macroscopic polyps and light microscopic polyps and/or polypoid mucosa were semiquantitatively analyzed. The number of macroscopic polyps per sinus was significantly larger in groups A (1.0 polyps) and C (1.3 polyps) than in group B (0.0 polyps). Microscopic examination revealed significantly higher levels of polyps and/or polypoid mucosa in groups A and C than in group B. The results of this study suggest that a rabbit model of polyps using P. aeruginosa is suitable for further polyp studies and that induction of this type of model needs no mechanical trauma to the sinus mucosa.