The case notes of 841 subjects who had had ECochG carried out between January 1972 and December 1980, were examined and the results compared with PTA results in 263 cases in which these were available. ECochG was found to be a good predictor of peripheral hearing as long as its limitations were recognized, and some of these are discussed. BSER, which has similar limitations, was also found to be a good predictor of peripheral hearing, although slightly less sensitive, and sometimes gave additional information on the hearing loss and the clinical state of the patient.

We have used human teeth for ossicular reconstruction in 20 tympanoplasties, the longest follow-up being over 2 years. The take of the graft and the hearing improvement have been very satisfactory and long-lasting. This preliminary report discusses the merits of the tooth as a prosthetic material for ossicular reconstruction. Our experience to-date indicates that the material satisfies all the criteria of an ideal prosthesis.

Tympanograms were done on 120 patients with adenoid hyperplasia, chronic sinusitis and chronic tonsillitis to measure the middle-ear pressure as a parameter to eustachian tube function. The results were compared with those obtained in 50 normal subjects. The statistical significance of the mean values of middle-ear pressure is very highly significant in patients with adenoid hyperplasia, significant in chronic sinusitis group and insignificant in patients with chronic tonsillitis, as compared to the normal control group. Hence, eustachian tube dysfunction is maximum in patients with obstructing adenoids, less in chronic sinusitis and least in chronic tonsillitis.

Our clinical experience based upon N-944 cases of tinnitus seen in the interval between November, 1977 and 30 December, 1982 has taught us the importance of the responsibility of the professional to the patient who presents with a chief complaint of the symptom of tinnitus. The primary goal is to attempt to control the tinnitus. The patient afflicted with this symptom is seeking a professional who can cure this complaint. The experienced professional(s) involved realize that no cure exists at this time. Multiple discipline(s) have become involved in this effort. All share common responsibility (ies).

Abstract The auditory and vestibular sense-organs of the rabbit were examined for the presence of substance P(SP) by an immunohistochemical technique using a monoclonal SP-antibody. Between 30 and 40 per cent of the cells of the vestibular ganglia and about 50 per cent of the spiral ganglion cells innervating the extreme basal part of the cochlea showed SP-like immunoreactivity. The neural elements in the vestibular sensory epithelia, notably the calyx-formed nerve terminals of type 1 sensory cells of the maculae, also showed strong SP-like immunoreactivity. The findings suggest the possibility of a modulator or transmitter role for SP in the inner ear function.

In 20 children, 21 ears with incipient adhesive otitis media were treated by mobilizing the thin, adherent tympanic membrane, strengthening it with a fascial graft, inserting SilasticR on the promontory, and establishing middle-ear drainage. The evaluation criteria were adhesive, atrophic and retractive changes in the tympanic membrane. The median follow-up period was 19 months. At follow-up, the material showed a statistically significant improvement in hearing, with a median hearing-loss of 17 db. postoperatively against 30 db. pre-operatively. There was a pronounced improvement in the adhesive and atrophic, as well as in the retractive, changes in the tympanic membrane.

The present method of otosurgery is taken to be justified by the threat that incipient adhesive otitis media will develop into total middle-ear atelectasis with maximum hearing-loss and a risk of cholesteatoma. A further justification is afforded by the favourable therapeutic results.