Contact endoscopy of the nasal mucosa.

The possibility of contact endoscopy in the nasal mucosa, using a contact microlaryngoscope is examined. With contact endoscopy it has been possible to visualize in vivo and in situ (60x, 150x) the superficial cell layers of the nasal epithelium, previously stained with methylene blue. Normal mucosa and cases with pathology (chronic rhinitis, nasal polyposis, inverted papilloma, mucormicosis and carcinoma) were assessed with contact endoscopy (50 patients). Squamous epithelium, ciliated epithelium, glandular ostia, mucus secretions, microvascular networks, inflammatory cell infiltrates, tissue inclusions, nuclear abnormalities, and fungal hyphae have been made visible. The potential of contact endoscopy in the nose, the alterations required in the contact endoscope and the intense interdisciplinary work needed are discussed. Evaluation and differentiation of stages of chronic mucosal diseases, nasal polyposis, environmental pathology, allergy, mucocilliary diseases, pharmacotherapy, are some of the entities that will benefit from this technique.