A rare case of extramedullary plasmacytoma arising from the nasal septum with localized amyloid deposition is reported. A 75-year-old woman presented with a history of post-nasal discharge and nasal obstruction for several months. Endonasal endoscopic observation revealed the presence of a mass arising from her nasal septum with an extension to the nasopharynx. No cervical lymph nodes were palpable. The biopsy specimen was diagnosed as a plasmacytoma (IgG, lambda-light chain type). Both serum myeloma-protein and urine Bence-Jones protein were negative. Bone marrow biopsy, a chest radiograph, total body skeletal survey and 67Ga- and 99mTc-scintigrams showed no other systemic lesions. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of extramedullary plasmacytoma in the nasal septum. The patient received irradiation of 40 Gy without clinically detectable reduction of tumour size. The patient eventually underwent complete resection of the tumour by KTP/532 laser under endonasal endoscopic control. Pathologically, the tumour mass was composed mainly of amyloid deposition with a marked reduction of tumour cells. This indicated the radiosensitiveness of tumour cells, which was clinically masked by the increased amyloid deposition. The clinical presentation, pathological features and surgical procedures are described with a review of the literature.

The field of audiological rehabilitation in adults faces an array of opportunities. Some of these are technological, as with the advent of fully digital hearing-aids, and some involve clinical practice, such as opportunities for true multidisciplinary working, and for changes in hearing-aid prescription and provision. The development of well-validated questionnaire instruments should facilitate robust research into the effectiveness of clinical interventions in adult audiological rehabilitation, for such evidence is urgently needed if the field is to thrive.

For the 40 per cent of patients with head and neck cancer who present with stage I and II disease either radiotherapy or surgery can be curative. The remaining 60 per cent have advanced loco-regional disease and even when treated with surgery and radiotherapy the five-year survival is less than 30 per cent. Most patients with relapse have loco-regional disease and second primary tumours have an incidence of three per cent a year.1 Current attempts to improve prognosis include the addition of chemotherapy, the use of brachytherapy and accelerated radiotherapy regimes such as continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART).

The foundation of mastoid surgery for cholesteatoma has traditionally been a thorough knowledge of the anatomy and familiarity with landmarks, constant alertness to detect unsuspected complications and the experience to tailor the surgery to the pathology encountered. Whilst not indispensable, computed tomography (CT) scanning is a useful adjunct whose potential predictive value is only truly appreciated by skilled interpretation. We present a guide to analysis to maximize the value of pre-operative radiology.

In an environment of clinical governance with increased demands for accountability it is very important that accurate, reliable and secure data records be maintained for easy retrieval, analysis and presentation when required. A database is a very versatile tool for this purpose. We describe here our experience in designing a database for cochlear implant patients in Cambridge, together with guidance for prospective designers in their chosen sub-speciality.

The total surface areas of human mastoid air cells were measured using digital CT scans. Using 24 normal ears, the lining of the mastoid air cells was digitally scanned, traced and analysed. The mean surface area of the mastoid air cell system was 167.0.cm2 and ranged from 74.78 to 330.01 cm2. The volume was also measured, the mean being 10.43.cm3 ranging from 6.25 to 20.52.cm3. The correlation coefficient between surface area and volume was 0.95. These results indicate that well pneumatized mastoid air cells serve to provide an extremely large surface area in the temporal bone which in normal mastoid air cells is proportional to the volume.

Asian nations differ from one another in population, cultural background, ethnic tradition and economic situation. The training of otorhinolaryngologistsin Asia is not in any way uniform. A questionnaire survey of 26 leading institutions in 12 countries/regions was carried out. The emphasis of investigation is towards the training programme for specialists in Otorhinolaryngology and continuous medical education (CME). The response rate of the survey was 100 per cent. The duration of training for otorhinolaryngologists ranges from three to seven years and an exit assessment is held in seven countries/regions. The training programmes are modifications of either the British or the American pattern depending on tradition. Documentation of CME is available in eight countries/regions while a defined cycle has been established in only three. Medical/health authorities or professional societies in each country contribute towards its monitoring. Better communication and sharing of experience will improve the training of otorhinolaryngologists in Asia.

Schwannomas are peripheral nerve tumours of nerve sheath origin. We report one case of cervical schwannoma originating from the brachial plexus. A 56-year-old man presented with a slow-growing mass on the right side of his neck that had been noted for more than 10 years. During operation, a wellencapsulated mass was seen beneath the brachial plexus with adhesion to the plexus element. It was reported as a schwannoma. Three days after surgery, the patient had a motor deficit of the right upper arm and neurological examination showed a CV nerve deficit. The neurological function recovered completely after three months. In addition, the other five cases of cervical schwannoma seen in our hospital between March 1990 and June 1998 are also reviewed. All patients had surgery. The pre-operative symptoms, impressions, and post-operative neurological status were shown and discussed. Only two cases were diagnosed as neurogenic tumour pre-operatively. Post-operatively, one patient had transient neurological deficit and another one had permanent deficit.

It has been suggested that there is considerable unmet need in respect of hearing loss amongst the elderly population, but no routine screening test is currently used in general practice to identify these patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether routine questionnaire screening of the over-65s is a feasible way to identify elderly patients with hearing loss in primary care and whether patients so identified would benefit from hearing aid fitting. A cohort of patients consisting of a sample of 234 individuals aged between 65 and 74, attending a doctor’s surgery over a specified period, received a scored questionnaire to complete based on the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening test. Hearing aid owners and those with a hearing handicap were identified, and non-aid wearers with handicap offered examination and referral. Those patients who were fitted with aids were assessed after six months for aid usage and persisting handicap. Twenty-five per cent of the patient sample reported a previously undiagnosed hearing handicap. Six months after aid fitting, a reduction in hearing handicap was reported in 79 per cent of these cases and overall aid usage in the population sample had increased from nine per cent to 20 per cent. Routine questionnaire screening in general practice may be worthwhile since it is easy to carry out and the resulting intervention significantly reduces reported hearing handicap.

Chronic middle-ear disease is highly prevalent among Australian Aboriginal people, and many undergo surgical treatment. However, the outcomes of surgery in this group have not been fully evaluated. This is a descriptive study of operations for middle-ear disease (excluding grommets) on Aboriginal patients in Kimberley hospitals between 1 October 1986 and 31 December 1995. Logistic regression was used to model predictors of surgical outcome. Success was defined by an intact tympanic membrane and air-bone gap of 25 dB at review at, or later than, six months post-operation. A success rate of 53 per cent was observed; increasing age was the only variable predictive of success. Successful outcomes were more likely in adults and children aged >10 years, however, this does not take into account the necessity of hearing for language acquisition and learning. Dedicated resources must be allocated for post-operative follow-up of Aboriginal patients so that much-needed, rigorous evaluations of ENT surgery can be conducted.