Morphological observation of bacterial biofilms on chronic rhinosinusitis

【Objective】Biofilms recently have been associated with numerous chronic infectious processes. Many researchers considered the biofilms are also associated with chronic rhinosinusitis. To look for more evidences, we detected whether bacterial biofilms exist in chronic rhinosinusitis. 【Methods】The tissue samples from 3 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for CRS were obtained. All surgical procedures were performed by the senior author. Tissue samples were obtained from the ethmoid bulla. Sample size varied about 3.0 mm×3.0 mm. After directly swabbing the specimens in a sterile container, specimens were fixed with 4% Formalin, then dehydrated with successive immersions in increasing concentration dilutions of ethanol. The specimens were allowed to air dry and then fixed onto aluminum stubs by using colloidal carbon. The sample surface was sputter coated with a gold and palladium layer. The specimens were examined with scanning electron microscope. Images were viewed in the SEM and then exposed onto negative film, scanned, and printed. 【Result】Biofilm findings such as water channels, 3-D structure, and matrix-embedding spherical or elliptical bodies within the size range of bacterial organisms. All tissue samples from 3 patients were found that the bacterial biofilms exist in the mucosal surface with chronic rhinosinusitis. 【Conclusion】Biofilms were identified in samples of tissue obtained during sinus surgery in patients with CRS. In china, this appears to be the first evidence of biofilms in CRS.