Consensus on Methodology for Experimental Studies of Nasal Mucosal Injury

Objectives: The way wounds heal involves significant complexity, resulting in restoration of functional and anatomical integrity to tissues damaged as a result of trauma (whether mechanical, chemical, or radiation-induced). The authors reviewed the consensus on methodology for experimental studies of nasal mucosal injury. Methods: The review aims to find where consensus exists amongst different experimental studies in nasal wound healing about the use of animal models. To achieve this, the authors queried the Pubmed, Proquest Central and Google databases for the last 20 years (i.e. 1996–2016). The search terms were: “mucosa injury,” “nasal mucosa injury,” “injury,” “wound healing,” “nasal,” “nasal wound healing,” “experimental,” “animal,” “model,” “rat,” “rabbit,” “guinea pig,” and “mice.” These terms were searched for whether they occurred singly or in combination. The search uncovered 18 papers, on the basis of which this review has been prepared. Results: The choice of an appropriate animal model is key in investigating nasal mucosal injury. Suitable animals include rodents such as rats or guinea pigs. There are reports in the literature concerning mechanical injury in rat nasal mucosae without attempts to treat it. Mechanical injury was induced unilaterally by means of an interdental brush. Other techniques involved the use of distilled water or irradiating the tissue to induce trauma. Conclusion: In this review, the use of a rat, guinea pig or rabbit model for human nasal mucosal injury is reviewed. Such models are suitable for use in well-designed experimental studies.