A system of practical medicine. By American authors. Vol. 3

by Unknown

²¹ Loc. cit.

This cavernous erectile tissue is most abundant at the lower portion of the septum and of the lower turbinated bones; and, although it has been recognized and described as true erectile tissue by Haenle, Virchow, and others, yet to Bigelow of Boston belongs the honor of having first called attention to the part which this tissue plays in nasal diseases. He gave to it the name turbinated corpora cavernosa.²² The expansion of the nasal cavities formed by the alæ of the nose is termed the vestibule, which is lined with pavement epithelium and forms the entrance to the cavities proper. The naso-pharyngeal cavity extends from the posterior ends of the turbinated bones and the edge of the vomer to the line where the velum palati touches the pharyngeal wall during the act of deglutition or phonation. In this cavity we find the openings of the Eustachian tubes, two crater-like elevations, with a pit-like depression of variable size and shape, one on either side; and a collection of glands with a central duct-like opening disposed on the roof and posterior wall of the cavity. This gland was named by Luschka²³ the pharyngeal tonsil. The openings between the edge of the vomer and the lateral walls of the naso-pharyngeal cavity are termed the posterior nares.

²² Boston Med. and Surg. Journal, April, 1875.

²³ Der Schlundkopf des Menschen.

ANTERIOR RHINOSCOPY.—Anterior rhinoscopy is a very easy and simple procedure, and is practised as follows: The patient is placed in position as for laryngoscopy, and the light directed upon his face so that the centre of the circle of reflection from the head mirror falls upon the tip of the nose. The examiner then elevates the tip of the nose with his left hand, resting the fingers on the forehead of the patient, and lifts the ala away from the septum with a slightly bent probe, when he will be enabled to see a considerable distance into the nasal cavity. It is, however, better to employ a speculum instead of the bent probe, because the parts then are seen in their usual relation to each other, and are not distorted by the forcible traction necessary when the probe or a dilator is employed. The nasal speculum (Fig. 12) is best made of hard rubber and shaped like the ordinary ear speculum, except that the narrow end is oval instead of round. This instrument is to be introduced by a sort of rotatory motion until the end has passed the edge of the vestibule, when it will remain in position, displaying the interior of the nose. Great care should be exercised, when introducing the speculum, not to scratch the mucous membrane of the septum, for this will give rise to pain and start hemorrhage, both of which are to be avoided as much as possible. When applications are to be made to the mucous membrane of the septum or turbinated bones, or when operations are to be performed within the cavity, it is best to employ an instrument called a nasal dilator, of which there are a large number of different forms, the most satisfactory of which is shown in Fig. 13. The dilator is introduced by compressing the blades between the thumb and fore finger, and pushing them into the nostril until their ends have passed the edge of the vestibule. The pressure is then removed, and the spring separating the blades holds the nostril open; the handle or stem of the instrument, hanging down, need not be held or supported, as the blades press sufficiently upon the tissues to retain the instrument in position. If the pressure is too great, however, it will soon produce pain, and the patient will object to the use of the instrument.

FIG. 12.

Nasal Speculum.

FIG. 13.

Bosworth's Nasal Dilator.

The view obtained both by the speculum and the dilator is rather limited, and usually comprises only the anterior portions of the lower and middle turbinated bones, together with the cartilaginous portion of the septum. In order to get a good view of the lower and middle meatus and of the floor of the nose the patient's head should be inclined forward or backward as occasion requires. The student should, however, not be satisfied by simply inspecting the parts, but should aid the eye by the sense of touch, for pathological changes are of common occurrence, and their nature, whether soft and fleshy or hard and bony, erosions of the mucous membrane, or deep ulcerations, can often only be determined by the aid of the probe. In the same manner can the permeability of the meatuses be determined better than by inspection only. In cases where it becomes necessary to determine whether the anterior portion of the septum is of normal thickness, or whether a projection seen through the speculum is due to localized deflection, an instrument called the septometer is of great assistance (Fig. 14). This instrument is similar to the one used by mechanics to determine the diameter of a piece of wood or iron being turned on the lathe. In using it the long straight shanks are introduced one in each nostril, and, being closed upon the septum, the rounded points are gently moved up and down and backward and forward over the bulging portion of the septum. The motion of the index attached to the curved shanks of the instrument accurately indicates the relative thickness of tissue grasped between the points in the nose. By means of this instrument we can thus ascertain whether we have to deal with a deviation or a localized thickening of the septum; for if it is a deviation the index will move but slightly, while it will travel a considerable distance when the points pass over a thickened portion.