[Effects of oxymetazoline hydrochloride on ex vivo human nasal cilia movement measured with high-speed digital microscopy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of oxymetazoline hydrochloride on ex vivo human nasal cilia movement. METHODS: Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of cultured human nasal epithelial cells was measured by high-speed digital microscopy in HBSS and oxymetazoline hydrochloride of different concentrations in 20 minutes. RESULTS; CBF of cultured nasal epithelial cells in HBSS and 0.25 g/L oxymetazoline hydrochloride did not show significant changes in 20 minutes (F = 0.098, P = 1.00). However, in 0.50 g/L and 1.00 g/L oxymetazoline hydrochloride, CBF increased slightly in 3 -4 minutes and reached the apex, then decreased gradually. At the end of observation, CBF showed no significant difference in 0.50 g/L, (F = 2.94, P = 0.05) but there was a significant lower CBF in 1.00 g/L. In the first 3 minutes, the CBF in 2.00 g/L oxymetazoline hydrochloride was stable, and then slowed gradually. After 16 minutes, there was significant difference. In initial, the highest normalized CBF of each group showed no significant difference. However, the lowest normalized CBF of 1.00 and 2.00 g/L oxymetazoline hydrochloride showed a significant difference with HBSS, 0.25 and 0.50 g/L oxymetazoline hydrochloride. CONCLUSIONS: Oxymetazoline had a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on cultured human nasal CBF from 0.25 to 2.00 g/L. The inhibitory effect increased with the concentration going up. Oxymetazoline hydrochloride of 0.50 g/L might be the optimal choice for clinical application.

[Anatomical and computed tomographic analysis of the interaction between uncinate process and agger nasi cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anatomical interaction between uncinate process and agger nasi cell to better understand the anatomy of the frontal sinus drainage pathway by endoscopy, spiral computed tomography (CT) and sectioning. METHODS: Twenty-one skeletal skulls (forty-two sides) and one cadaver head (two sides) were studied by spiral CT together with endoscopy and collodion embedded thin sectioning at coronal plane. The sections with the thickness of 100 microm were stained with hemotoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: Under endoscopy, a leaflet of bone to the middle turbinate, which is given off by uncinate process, forms the anterior insertion of the middle turbinate onto the lateral nasal wall. The middle portion of the uncinate process attached to the frontal process of the maxilla in all of the skeletal nasal cavities, as well as the lacrimal bone in 78.6% of the skeletal nasal cavities. On CT scans, the agger nasi cell is present in 90.5% of the skeletal nasal cavities. While the lateral wall of the agger nasi cell is formed by lacrimal bone, the medial wall of the agger nasi cell is formed by uncinate process. And the anterior wall is formed by the frontal process of the maxilla. The superior portion of the uncinate process forms the medial, posterior and top wall of the agger nasi cells. The superior portion of the uncinate extends into the frontal recess and may insert into lamina papyracea (33.3%), skull base (9.5%), middle turbinate, combination of these (57.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The agger nasi cell is the key that unlocks the frontal recess.