Adaptation of the Sniffin' Sticks Test in South-Kivu.

Aim: The "Sniffin' Sticks" test is widely used in Europe as a standard test to assess olfaction. Several culturally-adapted versions have been developed. However, no version adapted to Sub-Saharan African populations exists.

Behaviour of middle ear cleft mucosa during inflammation: histo- morphometric study.

Conclusion: This histo-morphometric study shows a significant reduction in the distance between the blood vessel's centre and the basal membrane of the middle ear cleft mucosa during inflammatory process. This could suggest that gaseous exchange is faster and more abundant in inflamed mucosa. The distance is significantly shorter in the postero-superior compartment of the middle ear cleft, possibly favouring a specific gas exchange function.

Chronic suppurative otitis media and related complications at the University Clinic of Kinshasa.

During the five-year period from 1998 to 2002, the ENT department of the University Clinic of Kinshasa treated 343 patients suffering from chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and complications. Two hundred and seven patients had simple, 28 had cholesteatomatous form of CSOM, and 108 patients presented with intratemporal or intracranial complications. Roughly half of the patient group consisted of children younger than 10 years.

[Histological varieties of benign tumors of the nasal cavities].

The frequency of different histological forms of benign tumours of the nasal fossae diagnosed at the Ear-Nose-Throat department of the Kinshasa University Hospital are reported. There were 71 cases reported over a 21 year period, approximately 3 cases per year. Epithelial tumours were the most frequent 59% followed by papillomas (45%) and adenomas (14%).