[Potential of fibrolaryngoscopy for the improvement of diagnosis of laryngeal diseases].

ABSTRACT

The objective of the present study was to analyse results of fibrolaryngoscopic examination of pretumorous and tumorous laryngeal structures in 75 patients aged from 17 to 78 years who underwent repeated laryngeal biopsies to confirm suspected diagnosis of cancer. Vital staining of affected mucosal areas with a 1% methylene blue solution was used for the purpose. It was found that malignant tumours coloured violet as they readily absorbed the dye while its fixation by dysplastic tissue produced all shades of blue depending on the degree of dysplasia. It is concluded that the method employed in this study increases the informative value of clinical and histological diagnosis and thereby permits to avoid the use of additional diagnostic procedures.