Scanning electron microscopic studies of the nasal blood vessels

Current histological and transmission electron microscopic techniques are insufficient for studying all different aspects of vascular morphology. As a result, we have used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine nasal blood vessels. In our present studies the nasal septa of 15 rabbits were fixed by vascular perfusion, dried by the critical point method and coated with gold for SEM studies. Lower magnifications of specimens using this method show the tissue arrangement in the nasal septum. In higher magnifications the different vessels can be distinguished by their morphological features. The course of the vascular structures can be observed as well as the junctions between the different vessels. Our results indicate that different morphological techniques must be combined to understand the endonasal vasculature.