Histochemical study on innervation of glands and blood vessels in nasal polyps

The autonomic innervation of glands in the mucosa of the inferior concha and nasal polyps was studied histochemically. Both cholinergic nerve fibres and adrenergic nerve fibres were noted around the arterioles, arteries and glands in the mucosa of the inferior concha. However, no autonomic nerve fibres were detectable in much of the nasal polyps, except in the stalk region, suggesting that the autonomic nervous system was not present in the polyps. It is assumed that dysfunctioning of the autonomic innervation may be a leading causative factor in the occurrence and/or development of nasal polyps.