[Preliminary study on the relationship between chronic sinusitis histomorphology and aerosol].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the relationship between histomorphological changes in mucosa of chronic sinusitis (CS) and aerosol particles.

METHODS

The ethmoidal sinus mucus specimens of 60 patients with CS type I, II and III, and 16 cases of normal controls were collected. Meanwhile the pulmonary specimens in autopsy of 5 adult and 5 fetus cases were also collected. The specimens were stained by HE staining and Warthin-Starry (W-S) special aerosol particles staining method respectively, the ethmoidal sinus mucosa basement membrane were displayed by Van Gieson's (VG) special staining method, and its thickness was measured.

RESULTS

By the W-S staining, some black aerosol particles were found depositing on the epithelial cells layer of damaged mucosa and in the plasm of the epithelial cells. The degree of deposition was gradually increased in type I, II and III of CS. The number of cases of slight, medium and heavy depositing in type I were 11/20, 7/20, 2/20, in type II 5/20, 9/20, 6/20, and in type III 3/20, 6/20, 11/20 respectively; the more particles deposited, the more thickening the basement membrane. The thickness of the basement membrane in type I, II and III of CS were (12.15 +/- 4.73), (16.67 +/- 2.22), (23.75 +/- 3.48) microm respectively. There were significant differences among type I, II and III (P < 0.01). The black particles in the mucosa epithelium tissues of normal control group and non-damaged mucosa epithelium and desquamation area were seldom seen. On the other hand, the aerosol particles were not seen in the pulmonary specimens of the fetal autopsy.

CONCLUSION

In damaged mucosa epithelial cells of the CS, there are aerosol particles existing which may relate with the morphological changes of CS.