Density Of Mucous Glands In Various Chronic Middle Ear Diseases

Abstract

From 491 operated ears 5 180 pieces of mucosa from 16 different middle-ear sites were stained by the PAS-alcian blue whole-mount method and the density of glands in each piece determined. The mean density of glands was greatest in secretory otitis, 7.1 glands/mm2; in dry adhesive otitis, 4.3; in chronic, infected, adhesive otitis, 3.4; in chronic granulating otitis, 2.0; in cholesteatoma and sequelae to otitis, 1.3; in tympanosclerosis, 0.6; and in otosclerosis, 1.7. The differences in glandular density and the predominance of the various secretory types were found to be characteristic of the various middle-ear diseases.