[Confocal laser endomicroscopy - first application and validation of malignancy criteria].

OBJECTIVES  Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a method for real-time in vivo visualization of mucosal changes on a cellular level. First investigations on head and neck carcinoma described the oropharyngeal application. The aim of this investigation is to elucidate, based on the criteria validated in the oropharynx, whether these can be transferred to endonasal mucosa. METHODS  CLE was performed with intravenous fluorescein staining in endoscopic sinus surgery in one patient with sinonasal inverted papilloma and another with squamous cell carcinoma. We compared cellular visualization of pathological changes to those of healthy mucosa in the same specimen as well to our former findings in the oropharynx. RESULTS  Endonasal CLE proved to be well feasible in the surgical setting and the transfer of malignancy criteria in analogy to histological examination could be optically retraced. Furthermore, additional criteria for tissue dignity assessment were obtained. CONCLUSION  Our results suggest that endonasal CLE represents a valuable extension of the diagnostic repertoire available to date by an additional real-time analysis of nasal mucosa. This is of particular value in surgically challenging anatomical areas such as the paranasal sinuses. Further investigation and validation will be necessary.