Variability of vascularity in nasal mucosa as demonstrated by CD34 immunohistochemistry.

Regional anatomical variations in the nasal vasculature have not been studied histologically. Immunohistochemistry performed using marker for CD34 antigen on vascular endothelium biopsied from 5 sites on the lateral nasal wall and compared with one septal biopsy. No significant regional variations in microvascular architecture over the lateral wall of the nose were found. * Lateral wall measurements were significantly different to the septal measurements (P = 0.0003, 0.01). Suggests biopsies can be taken from any site on the lateral wall and give a representative sampling of the vascularity for research purposes.