Prospects for the use of autofluorescence endoscopy in rhinosurgery

Abstract

To assess the possibility of using autofluorescence endoscopy to control the condition of flaps of the nasal mucous membrane after surgical interventions. The assessment of the processes of biological destruction of 15 fragments of the mucous membrane of the inferior nasal concha, obtained during intranasal interventions with endoscopic technique in autofluorescence mode, followed by histological examination at different periods of observation, has been conducted. The results of the proposed method were tested in 84 patients with chronic and intraoperative defects of the nasal septum after the surgical intervention. It has been shown that autofluorescence endoscopy can be used to assess the viability of flaps of the nasal cavity's mucous membrane. A change of the autofluorescence signal to a whitish and orange shades indicates the presence of ischemia and necrosis. Method sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 95.8% and total accuracy was 95.4%. This method is promising for predicting the long-term outcomes of surgical treatment of the nasal septum's perforation in relation to the risk of reperforation forming, as well as for assessment of the functional viability of local flaps in plastic reconstruction of defects of the anterior skull base.