Origin of nasal polyps.

The nasoethmoid complexes from 6 patients with nasal polyps were systematically examined. First, the location and place of the origin of the polyps were recorded and photographed. The polyps and their places of origin were removed, serial sectioned, and examined. In all 6 patients, the polyps originated from the nasal mucosa. Most of the polyps extended laterally from the mucosa into the anterior part of the middle meatus. Several polyps originated from the mucosa near the ethmoid cell ostium or directly from the mucosa lining the edge of the ostium. The ostia themselves were not blocked by the polyps, and there was no indication of polyp formation in the ethmoid cells.