To investigate the histopathological and ultrastructural characteristics of the inferior turbinate mucosa in chronic rhinitis.Methods38 cases of chronic rhinitis were included in this study. Of them, 12 cases were chronic simple rhinitis (CSR) and 26 cases were chronic hypertrophic rhinitis (CHR). 6 cases of CHR were treated surgically. Mucosa specimens of the inferior turbinate were obtained from all cases and observed histopathologically and electron microscopically.ResultsHistopathologic and electron microscopic examinations of CSR and CHR specimens demonstrated some common characteristics including mucous epithelium defulvium, inflammatory cell infiltration in stroma and ultrastructural defect of mucosal cilia to different degrees. Meanwhile, CSR and CHR showed special histopathologic and electron microscopic characteristics separately. In CSR, gland proliferation, blood vessel dilatation and inflammatory cell infiltration could be observed. CSR accompanied with acute inflammation demonstrated neutrophil infiltration in stroma. CHR showed infiltration of lymphocyte and plasma cell, mucous epithelium defulvium and stroma fibroplasia. The study also showed well protection of ultrastructures of inferior turbinate mucosal cilia via submucous approaches of inferior turbinate resection.ConclusionsCSR and CHR demonstrate different pathological changes and ultrastructural characteristics. Surgical treatment of inferior turbinate via submucous approach is an ideal method for CHR.