Biofilm in Chronic Sinusitis with Nasal Polyps: Pilot study

• Published in: Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology Vol. 75; no. 6; pp. 788 - 793
• Main Authors: Pinto Bezerra, Thiago Freire, de Melo Pádua, Francini Grecco, Ogawa, Allex Itar, Santiago Gebrim, Eloisa Maria Mello, Nascimento Saldiva, Paulo Hilário, Voegels, Richard Louis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier Editora Ltda 01-11-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biofilms; Chronic Disease; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Middle Aged; Nasal Mucosa - microbiology; Nasal Mucosa - ultrastructure; nasal polyps; Nasal Polyps - microbiology; Nasal Polyps - surgery; Original; Pilot Projects; Reproducibility of Results; Rhinitis - microbiology; Rhinitis - surgery; sinusitis; Sinusitis - microbiology; Sinusitis - surgery; nasal polyps; sinusitis; biofilms
• ISSN: 1808-8694; 1808-8686
• DOI: 10.1016/S1808-8694(15)30538-3

Chronic rhinosinusitis' pathogenesis is not completely established and there are some explanations for this disease, such as osteitis, superantigens, fungal-mediated hypersensitivity and, more recently, biofilms. There are no reports in Portuguese about biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis.
To reproduce a method for visualization of biofilms in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps.
Samples of ethmoid bulla of nine patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps without response to clinical treatment who underwent surgery were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy to evidence bacterial biofilms.
A contemporary cross-sectional cohort study
In 55.56% (5/9) of the patients we observed biofilms by seeing three-dimensional structures, spherical structures surrounded by an amorphous matrix and water-channels.
We reproduced a method for visualization of bacterial biofilms by scanning electron microscopy and evidenced its presence in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.