Ciliary ganglia from the pigeon, cat, and monkey were investigated for the presence of NADPH-diaphorase reactivity by use of a standard histochemical method. In the pigeon, where the ganglion is known to control lens and pupil function, and the choroidal vasculature, about one-third of the ganglion cells were densely stained and most other somata were lightly stained. In some cases, preganglionic terminals with a cap-like morphology were also darkly stained. The pattern of NADPH-diaphorase staining in mammals was very different from that seen in pigeons. In both mammalian species, where the ganglion is known to control lens and pupil function, a small number (less than 2%) of the ganglion cells were shown to be densely NADPH-diaphorase positive, revealing their neuronal processes. The presence of NADPH-diaphorase positive cells in pigeon, cat, and monkey ciliary ganglia suggests that nitric oxide may be used for intercellular communication in this ganglion, or in light of the known importance of nitric oxide in vascular control, some of these positive neurons may participate in the control of choroidal vasodilation.

Eighty-seven patients who were treated by laser mucotomy (L-mucotomy) of the inferior turbinates were followed-up for one year. Patients presented for laser surgery because of one of the three following symptoms: sneezing, rhinorrhoea, or nasal obstruction. All of them had had prior conservative or surgical treatments for their symptoms without improvement in their complaints and/or quality of life. L-mucotomy is a simple procedure performed under local anaesthesia on an ambulatory basis. A controlled amount of tissue from the inferior turbinates is ablated with improvement in the symptoms, as reported by the patients one year after laser surgery.

The procedure is easy to perform, there is no bleeding, it is painless and without complications, but it requires rather expensive surgical equipment.

Bilateral transnasal vidian neurectomy was performed on 276 patients between 1983 and 1991. The indications for operation were intractable vasomotor rhinitis, resistant allergic rhinitis and recurrent nasal polyposis. Two hundred and fifty-eight patients were contacted and long-term results showed that 88 per cent of the patients had an excellent result.

A series of 52 patients were closely assessed prospectively to determine the effectiveness, untoward effects and patient acceptance of a new method of treatment of ‘vasomotor rhinitis’ by silver nitrate application. The patient's age ranged from 11 to 50 years except one who was 58 years old. The report describes the technique used and results obtained following the painting of the ‘trigger area’ of the nasal mucosa in patients with ‘vasomotor rhinitis’. Each patient was evaluated regularly and the evaluation was based on both subjective response and clinical examination. Only cases who had rhinorrhoea and sneezing as presenting symptoms were selected. Silver nitrate (20 per cent) was used after topical anaesthesia, and patients received four applications. Successful relief was obtained in 88.5 per cent (53.0 per cent good relief; 34.6 per cent acceptable relief), while 11.5 per cent of the cases (6 out of 52 cases) had poor relief. No complication was seen among the patients during treatment and follow-up and no silver poisoning was detected.