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.

The problem of measuring the nasal airway is discussed, and the previous literature has been reviewed. A simple method of measuring the airway and the degree of nasal obstruction has been proposed.

Five cases of post-tonsillectomy quinsy are presented, usually associated with tonsillar remnants. Foot of these had no pus and one did, but the clinical picture was the same. Hence, if tonsillectomy is performed to prevent further quinsies, it must be careful and complete.

A case of benign intracranial hypertension occurring in an 11-year-old boy, and due to lateral sinus obstruction, is reported. Computerized tomographic scan was conclusive, revealing a normal ventricular system and no evidence of a neoplastic lesion. Disappearance of the mastoid air cells and disruption of the trabecular pattern were also shown on the affected side. The diagnosis was confirmed at operation, and the course was favourable. In accordance with other studies cited, our findings suggest that patients suspected of benign intracranial hypertension can be spared invasive neuroradiological procedures if the computerized tomographic scan of the head is normal.

Three patients treated with bromocriptine for chronic hepatic encephalopathy showed audiometric evidence of bilateral sensori-neural hearing-loss. Audiometrically, the hearing improved in all three patients when the bromocriptine dosage was reduced, thus suggesting that this drug may produce a reversible ototoxicity.

A rare case of adult rhabdomyosarcoma originating from the left maxillary sinus is reported. A 22-year-old Japanese woman was referred to the Department of Otolaryngology, Hiroshima University, for investigation of the primary source of a metastatic tumor in the bone marrow. An X-ray of the sinuses revealed a tumor in the left maxillary sinus with extension into the nasal cavity, ethmoidal and sphenoidal sinuses. The patient was managed with a chemotherapeutic regimen consisting of high-dose methotrexate, adriamycin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. After three courses of this chemotherapy, the tumor had decreased in size by about 90 per cent, as indicated by X-rays. The remaining tumor was removed by an extended Denker's operation. Following the surgery another seven courses of chemotherapy were given and during the eight months following the operation the patient has been free from any local recurrence.