In chronic rhinosinusitis, inflammation of the rhinosinusal mucosa provokes qualitative and quantitative changes in the respiratory epithelium that lines the entire rhinosinusal cavity, leading to the maintenance of an inflammatory picture. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In the present study we evaluated histopathologically ten patients with chronic rhinosinusitis on the basis of clinical and allergic history, microbiological study, and light, electron and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: A reduced number of ciliated columnar cells, an increase in goblet-like cells, a reduction in the number of cilia per affected cell and squamous metaplasia were changes frequently detected in the cases of rhinosinusitis, explaining the persistence of the signs and symptoms due to the destruction of the epithelium and to the breakdown of the mucociliary system.
chronic rhinosinusitis; mucosa; maxillary sinus; ultrastructural; histologic
