Histopathologic assessment of fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess paranasal sinus material histopathologically for the presence of fungus.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded archival biopsy samples of patients who underwent endonasal sinus surgery between 1992 and 2002 were retrospectively assessed for the presence of fungi. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of the materials were re-evaluated, and Gomori's methanamine silver stain was also applied as required.


RESULTS
Fungus (Aspergillus) was detected histopathologically in only 21476 patients, both of whom were immunocompetent. One patient was considered to have chronic indolent sinusitis and the other allergic fungal sinusitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although histopathologic assessment is one of the most important diagnostic tools, on its own it may lead to underestimation of fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses. Alternatively, fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses may be very infrequent in Turkey.
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University Gaziantep, Turkey. serk52@yahoo.com
Suna
S
Erkiliç
Abdullah
A
Aydin
Yildirim A
YA
Bayazit
Emin
E
Güldür
Hale
H
Deniz
Nurhayat
N
Bayazit
Enver
E
Ozer
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology