POSSIBLE VALUE OF NASAL SMEAR IN ACUTE MAXILLARY SINUSITIS - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

The aim of this study is to determine the role of nasal smear in evalu ating diagnosis and response to the treatment by the patient of acute maxillary sinusitis. We compared nasal smear and histopathological fin dings obtained from rabbits experimentally induced acute maxillary sin usitis. The animals were divided into two groups; one with blocked ost ium and treated with antibiotic and the other applied natural ostiotom y, during a 4-week period. There was no statistically significant diff erence between the two groups in respect of recovery period. This conc lusion was derived from nasal smear and biopsy findings. It was observ ed that nasal smear and biopsy findings were consistent with each othe r and with clinical findings. The results of this study revealed that nasal smear may be used in the diagnosis and treatment follow-up of ac ute maxillary sinusitis.