Vital Stains

Vital staining has been used extensively in gynaecologic practice and in gastrointestinal endoscopy for detection of malignant changes and this technique has been applied in the oral setting for over 40 years. In oral cavity, the vital stains are mainly used to detect premalignant and early malignant lesions, and to delineate its margins. Vital stains are a useful adjunct to gastrointestinal endoscopy, the contrast between normally stained and abnormally stained epithelium enables the endoscopists to formulate a diagnosis and/or to direct biopsies based on a specific reaction or enhancement of surface morphology. In ophtholmology, various vital stains are used to stain dead and degenerated cells and mucus, and to detect corneal and conjunctival neoplasms. Vital staining is a procedure where living cells take up certain dyes. Vital staining technique is simple, quick, widely available, noninvasive, effective, inexpensive and easy to practice, and free of adverse effects. It is useful in both clinical practice and research. This book reviews the commonly used vital stains, their staining principles, chemistry, technique and its clinical utility in various fields of medicine.