Abstract
Five cases of rhinitis medicamentosa due to the excessive use of nose drops were reported together with the histopathological findings obtained from partially resected inferior nasal turbinates. These findings were similar to non-specific rhinitis. Degeneration of ciliated epithelium with squamous metaplasis, thickening of the basement membrane, small lymphocytic infiltration of slight to moderate degree in the tunica propria, fibrosis, and mild thickening of the larger blood vessels wall were noted. Eosinophilic infiltration was insignificant. It was suggested that the sustained and excessive use of the topical vasoconstrictors either caused stasis of the ciliary movement by altered viscosity of the mucous blancket or sustained stimuli to the alpha receptors in the nasal mucosa giving rise to ischemic edema of the tissue.
The treatment consists in the correction of the lesions which initiated the excessive use of nose-drop and in the cessation of the use of the topical vasoconstrictors.
