Nasal polyps

Polyp tissue comprises a mixture of loose connective tissue, oedema, inflammatory cells (mostly eosinophils), glandular cells, and capillaries. Polyps are usually covered with respiratory pseudostratified epithelium with ciliated cells and goblet cells.

The aetiology is unknown.

Symptoms are due to the size and location of the polyps and associated mucosal inflammation; they include nasal congestion and blockage, rhinorrhoea, posterior nasal drip, and decreased sense of smell.

It is important to distinguish nasal polyps from neoplastic lesions, particularly if symptoms are unilateral.

The mainstay of treatment is topical corticosteroids; nasal saline irrigation can be beneficial in addition; endoscopic sinus surgery is indicated in patients who do not respond to medical therapy.

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is strongly associated with asthma.

Nasal polyps (NP) are benign swellings of the mucosal lining of the paranasal sinuses. They are invariably associated with chronic rhinosinusitis with the presentation correctly labelled as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). This distinguishes the presentation from chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), which is covered in a separate monograph. Polyp tissue comprises a mixture of loose connective tissue, oedema, inflammatory cells (mostly eosinophils), glandular cells, and capillaries. Polyps are covered with varying types of epithelium, mostly respiratory pseudostratified epithelium with ciliated cells and goblet cells. Clinical features of CRSwNP include nasal congestion and blockage, rhinorrhoea, posterior nasal drip, and decreased sense of smell.[1]Fokkens WJ, Lund VJ, Mullol J, et al. EPOS 2012: European position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps 2012. A summary for otorhinolaryngologists. Rhinology. 2012 Mar;50(1):1-12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22469599?tool=bestpractice.com [Figure caption and citation for the preceding image starts]: Grade 3 nasal polypsFrom the collection of Dr Richard Hewitt [Citation ends].