[Cytology of nasal polyps]

Cytograms were made from polyps and nasal mucosa in 30 patients suffering from chronic rhinitis and polyps. A semiquantitative method described in Otolaryngologia Polska in 1985 year was used. In 6 cytograms taken from polyps, neutrophils were found on an average in 93% of observed cells. In 24 cytograms the predominance of eozynophils was found on an average of 49%. In cytograms with predominance of eozynophils, basophils were found on an average of 13%. These results allowed the etiology to be distinguished and either pharmacological or surgical treatment to be applied, versus hitherto applied surgical treatment. In 6 eozynophilic patients cytograms were made from the mucosa 2 weeks after polypectomy. A considerable decrease or total disappearance of eozynophilic and basophilic cells was found.