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Biofilm in chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps: pilot study

Thiago Freire Pinto Bezerra1, Francini Grecco de Melo Pádua, Allex Itar Ogawa

  • 1Otorhinolaryngology Division, Clinical Hospital, Medical School, Sao Paulo University.

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
|March 9, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Bacterial biofilms were visualized in chronic rhinosinusitis patients using scanning electron microscopy. This study successfully reproduced a method for biofilm detection in nasal polyps, confirming their presence.

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Microbiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • The pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) remains incompletely understood, with proposed factors including osteitis, superantigens, fungal hypersensitivity, and biofilms.
  • Biofilms represent a significant area of interest in CRS, yet reports in Portuguese are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish and validate a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method for visualizing bacterial biofilms.
  • To investigate the presence of biofilms in patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional cohort study involving nine patients with treatment-resistant CRS and nasal polyps who underwent surgery.
  • Samples from the ethmoid bulla were analyzed using SEM to identify and visualize bacterial biofilms.

Main Results:

  • Biofilms were successfully visualized in 55.56% (5 out of 9) of the analyzed patient samples.
  • Observed biofilms exhibited characteristic three-dimensional structures, including spherical formations within an amorphous matrix and evident water channels.

Conclusions:

  • The study successfully reproduced a reliable SEM-based method for biofilm visualization.
  • The presence of bacterial biofilms was confirmed in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps, supporting their role in the disease.

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