Radiologic assessment of acoustic neuroma in the elderly. Is no treatment good treatment?

Twenty-three elderly patients with acoustic neuroma have been followed conservatively (no treatment) for a mean of 3.8 years. Five patients subsequently required ventricular shunting.

Cricoid pressure and sharp foreign bodies.

Cricoid pressure may be performed when a sharp object such as an animal bone is lodged in the post-cricoid oesophagus. This study was undertaken to determine what damage, if any, may be caused to the oesophagus. A sharp foreign body was inserted into the post-cricoid region of 15 cadavers.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: the results of radical surgery.

A personal series of 267 salivary tumours seen in a 20-year period was reviewed. Thirty-six patients with a previously untreated histologically proven adenoid cystic carcinoma of the major and minor salivary glands were submitted to radical surgery. The 5-year survival was 73%; no patient died of disease or suffered a recurrence of disease beyond the 5-year mark, suggesting that radical surgery achieves good results and largely pre-empts the notorious pattern of repeated recurrence.

Post tonsillectomy haemorrhage in children: The value of routine monitoring of the pulse.

Twenty-one children with reactionary haemorrhage after tonsillectomy were returned to theatre for the control of this haemorrhage. This group was matched for age and weight with 21 patients who underwent an uncomplicated tonsillectomy. The maximum pulse rate, the mean pulse rate and the maximum rise in pulse rate were recorded during the post-operative period and were noted for each group.