ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To understand the restoration process of the mucosa through the continual endoscopic, microscopic, transmission electron microscopic and scanning electron microscopic observation of the nasal mucosa after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). This restoration process of mucosa can be used to appraise the effectiveness of the operation. METHODS: Thirty-one cases (53 sides) with chronic nasal sinusitis and nasal polyps were selected randomly, which had been undergone ESS operation during January to December, 2001. Biopsy of posterior frontanelle of the maxillary sinus were performed to observe the mucosa changes before the ESS and at 2-3 weeks, 8-11 weeks and 13-16 weeks after the ESS, respectively. RESULTS: Epithelia shedding, proliferation, squamous metaplasia, glandular and fibrous tissue proliferation and lymphocytes infiltration were observed in all cases before the ESS. The microtubule abnormal and mitochondria diminishing and expanding existed in all cases. The morphological changes were not significant within 2-3 weeks after the ESS compared to the changes before the ESS. Eight-eleven weeks after the ESS, the nasal cavity turned clean and smooth. The number of pillar cells increased and the cilia swelling, short cilia, and many pillar cells with microvillus were seen. The number of goblet cells increased. Pathological glandular and fibrous proliferation were seen in all cases (53 sides). The operated cavity was clean and covered completely by epithelia (50 sides) 13-16 weeks after ESS. The length of cilia increased and arrangement of the cilia line was in the same direction. The structure of microtubules was clear. The mitochondria was elongated and became dense (49 sides). The pathological repairing was at work (3 sides). CONCLUSIONS: After the ESS, the recovery of the mucus needs 3 months. Some pathological changes are irreversible and the cilia pathological change is related with its restoration. The more cilia reserved and timely local cleaned after ESS, the more helpful to the restoration of the cilia morphology and function. The effective of ESS can be evaluated through the histological-morphological changes. timely local cleaned after ESS, the more helpful to the restoration of the cilia morphology and function. The effective of ESS can be evaluated through the histological-morphological changes.
