[Epithelium-stroma interaction in cholesteatoma of the middle ear].

Background: Local Infiltration and bony destruction are characteristic features of cholesteatomas. The aim of the study was assessment of cell ploidy, proliferation rates and expression of cell adhesion molecules to analyze the pathogenetic role of matrix (epithelium) in cholesteatoma. The cellbiologic parameters were compared to clinical findings.

[Orientational evaluation of otolith function by eye counter-rolling in patients with various kinds of vertigo].

Background: Measurement of ocular counterrolling (OCR) is well known as a simple method to evaluate the peripheral vestibular organ, especially the otolith organ. But it has rarely been used because of the difficulty in differentiating between pathologically reduced OCR and the wide physiological variation of this parameter.

Patients: In this study, the OCR of 55 patients with unclarified vertigo (n = 20), vestibular neuronitis (n = 15), Menière's disease (n = 10), and benign paroxysmal positional nystagmus (n = 10) were evaluated and compared to a control group (n = 30) with the intention of diagnosing peripheral vestibular dysfunction and establishing a differential diagnosis.

[Pressure relations between endocranial and intracochlear fluid spaces in patients with inner ear diseases].

Intracranial pressure is transmitted to the perilymph of the cochlea via the cochlear aquaeduct and via Reissner's membrane to the endolymph. The "Tympanic Membrane Displacement Analyser (TDA)" is a new device that may be a useful non-invasive method to show intracranial and intracochlear pressure changes indirectly measured by tympanic membrane displacement during stapedial reflex contraction. The TDA was utilised in 20 normal persons and in 29 patients with unilateral diseases of the inner ear.

[Rare differential diagnosis in "vertigo" symptoms].

The diagnosis of vestibulocochlear nerve and statoacoustic organ lesions is based on the symptoms vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus. The most common diseases are vestibular neuronitis, Ménière's disease, benign positional vertigo and sudden hearing loss. 6 patients are presented, complaining of at least one of the symptoms vertigo, hearing loss or tinnitus.

[Sigmoid sinus thrombosis, a therapeutic problem].

Thrombosis of the sigmoid sinus is a relatively uncommon illness. It may present in a septic or bland form, and the latter is more or less asymptomatic. Angiography, computerised tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are all at our disposal for diagnosis of both types of thrombosis, and proper diagnosis of the specific form of sinus thrombosis will determine the required therapy.

[Soft laser therapy in combination with tebonin i.v. in tinnitus].

28 patients were treated with soft-laser therapy. Two-thirds of them had suffered from tinnitus for more than six months and had undergone different therapies before. Each patient was treated twelve times, treatment lasting ten minutes.

[Antineoplastic effectiveness and unwanted side effects of polychemotherapy of extensive oro- and hypopharyngeal cancers--results of a prospective therapy study with 5-FU/cisplatin versus 5-FU/carboplatin].

60 patients with advanced carcinomas of the oropharynx and hypopharynx underwent chemotherapy, either with 5-FU/Cisplatin (n = 30) or with 5-FU/Carboplatin (n = 30). The remission-rates (complete and partial remissions) were comparable in both groups. The rate of complete remissions, however, was statistically significant higher in the cisplatinum group (6 patients) than in the carboplatinum group (1 patient).

[Reconstruction of defects of the anterior wall of the frontal sinus using autologous bone transplantation obtained by calvarian split graft].

We present the technique to gain free calvarian split bone grafts for reconstruction of the anterior wall of the frontal sinus. The indication for surgery, the surgical technique and the results in 12 patients are discussed.

[The His duct as a cause of peritonsillar abscess before and after tonsillectomy].

The role of the duct of His in the aetiology and development of peritonsillar abscess before and after tonsillectomy is evaluated. This duct, lying between the palatine tonsil and the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, is the only remnant of the second pharyngeal pouch. If not properly identified and marsupialized, it can be responsible for recurrent peritonsillar abscess.

[Malignant melanoma of the mucous membranes of the upper aerodigestive tract. Clinical, histological and immunohistochemical characteristics].

Malignant melanomas of the mucous membranes are rare tumors. They make up about 10% of all malignant melanomas of the head and neck; 15 of the authors' cases are reviewed in this article. Six of these had neck lymph node metastasis when first diagnosed.

[Follow-up studies and prognostic references for pre- and post-therapy pure tone audiometry and acoustically evoked potentials in sudden deafness].

In 95 patients with unilateral sudden deafness, pure-tone and speech audiometry was performed before, during and after drug therapy. Auditory brain-stem evoked responses (ABR) were recorded in all cases. Stapedial reflex audiometry and SiSi tests were also performed.

[Value and status of neurologic, serologic, internal medicine and orthopedic studies in routine diagnosis of sudden deafness].

One hundred and eighteen patients with acute unilateral sensorineural hearing loss were examined. Diagnosis included a neurological, orthopedic, and internal medical examination. Serological tests were performed including influenza-, parainfluenza-, adenovirus-, RS-virus, enterovirus-, morbilli-, varicella- and cytomegalie-virus-KBR, also the serological tests for toxoplasmosis, rheuma, lues, mycosis, and Borrelia.

[Results of tinnitus therapy using lidocaine iontophoresis].

54 patients with severe tinnitus were treated by lidocaine iontophoresis. 25 patients suffered from a bilateral tinnitus. A total of 75 ears were treated.

[Echographic diagnosis in tumors of the paranasal sinuses with invasion of the lacrimal ducts].

In 16 patients the histologically proven diagnosis of a lacrimal sac tumor was made; in 9 of them a paranasal sinus tumor had invaded the lacrimal pathways, in 7 patients existed a primary tumor of the lacrimal sac, A- and B-scan sonography allow a clear-cut differentiation of both these entities. Furthermore primary and tumor-related inflammations of the lacrimal pathways can be distinguished by echography, which thereby provides the decisive diagnostic basis for the different therapeutic procedures in each case.

[Compatibility of glass-carbon implants in the middle ear--animal experiment studies].

28 tympanoplastic procedures with destruction and reconstruction of the ossicular chain were performed in rabbits. Vitreous carbon implants were used as prosthetic material. The animals were followed up from 14 days to one year.