Mucociliary transport and histologic characteristics of the mucosa of deviated nasal septum.

Objective: To investigate differences in mucociliary clearance, histologic characteristics, and surface structure of the bilateral nasal septal mucosa in patients with nasal septal deviation.

Design: Mucociliary transport was measured by saccharin clearance time in both nasal cavities of 20 patients with nasal septal deviation. Their septal mucosae were taken during septoplasty, and the ciliary population was studied by scanning electron microscopy.