Preliminary experiences with contact endoscopy of the larynx

Nine patients with laryngeal polyps, four with Reinke's edema, three with l eukoplakia, one with papilloma and one with malignant tumor were studied by means of laryngeal contact endoscopy during microlaryngoscopy. This techni que allowed in vivo and in situ visualization of the superficial layer of t he laryngeal epithelium after staining with methylene blue. Cell structures evaluated were the size and color of the nuclei, the nucleus/cytoplasm rat io, nuclear and cytoplasmic contours, the presence of nucleoli mitoses and keratoses, as well as the microvascular network of the mucosa and superfici al cellular changes from normal to pathological. The normal squamous epithe lium of the vocal cord showed a homogeneous cellular population with regula r nuclear and cytoplasmic morphological characteristics and a uniform nucle us-to-cytolasm ratio. Specific cellular epithelial patterns and several alt erations of the vascular distribution were found in different pathological conditions. Cytological pictures obtained at contact endoscopy were consist ent with histological findings in all the patients studied.