Blood flow in the rabbit sinus mucosa during experimentally induced chronic sinusitis. Measurement with a diffusible and with a non-diffusible tracer.

Chronic sinusitis was induced in New Zealand White rabbits. Access to the sinus cavity in question was obtained through a hole drilled in the dorsum of the nose, and for induction of sinusitis either cotton wool together with a suspension of 10(8) Streptococcus pneumoniae was introduced, or this method was combined with blocking of the sinus ostium with methacrylate. In 9 rabbits (weight range 3.6-5.0 kg), blood flow was determined 5 weeks-9 months after the induction of sinusitis, at a point in time when heavy inflammatory signs were present. The blood flow was determined both with radioactively labelled microspheres 16 +/- 1.5 micron in diameter and with Rb86Cl. Cardiac output as determined with the microsphere method was 127 +/- 28 ml X min-1 X 1 000 g-1. The blood flow in the sinus mucosa was 0.60 +/- 0.16 ml X min-1 X g-1 with the microsphere method and 0.51 +/- 0.20 ml X min-1 X g-1 with use of Rb86Cl. These values did not differ significantly from the corresponding values found previously in healthy rabbits.