This manuscript traces the traditions of the healing of the deaf associated with St Cadoc. While Saint Cadoc was Welsh, the traditions associated with him are found in Brittany. It seems likely that they originated there as pre-Christian healing traditions which were subsequently incorporated into those associated with the Church. The centre of these traditions was (and is) St Cado in the South of Brittany, near Carnac.

The distribution of tympanogram types among 872 seven-year-old children from a random population sample was related to 14 features of the home environment reported by parents in a questionnaire. Parental smoking was an important determinant of middle ear underpressure and effusion, and accounted for much of the associations observed with dampness, crowding and rented accommodation. Gas cooking was associated with a higher prevalence of effusion, but a lower prevalence of underpressure; this may deserve further study.

After adjustment for seasonal variation, tenure and household smokers, the weekly mean temperature in the bedrooms of 34 children with Type B tympanograms was 18.2°C, compared to 17.9°C for 190 children with Type A tympanograms. The equivalent figures for bedroom relative humidity were 51.8 percent and 52.7 per cent. It is unlikely that heating or ventilation of the home is an important determinant of middle ear effusion and underpressure in this age-group.

Carcinoma of the nasal vestibule has an individual clinical character; in this retrospective analysis the data of 12 consecutive patients are reported. Small lesions were treated by surgical resection and larger tumours by intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) followed by external beam radiotherapy. One patient had a recurrence which was successfully treated surgically; six had previous or subsequent malignancies. The results of the most recent series reported in the literature are reviewed and the rationale of the IAC approach is discussed. The reported treatment policy seems effective in achieving the highest cure rate with the best functional results.

Idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia is an uncommon disorder which often fails to respond to medical treatment. Surgical treatment most commonly consists of intracranial section of the glossopharyngeal nerve and upper vagal rootlets. We present three cases treated by the much simpler pharyngeal approach and argue that in appropriately selected patients this approach should receive more serious consideration.

The Eustachian tube acts as pressure equalizing tube between the nasopharynx and the middle ear. It also functions as a conduit for removal of secretions from the middle ear and mastoid air cell system into the post nasal space. Eustachian tube function may be assessed objectively using tympanometric measurements. (Brooks, 1968, Lutman, 1987).

The post-operative use of nasogastric Ryles tubes is associated with reduced peak middle ear pressure (mmH2O) and reduced peak compliance volumes (ml) as assessed by tympanometry. In addition changes in the appearance of the tympanic membrane may occur with the protracted use of Ryles tubes. This phenomenon is a transient one.

Nasogastric tube-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction is a previously unreported entity.

On the basis of the authors' experience with 20 patients, CO2 laser resection of palatal tumours has proved to be a good alternative to conventional surgical resection. The CO2 laser beam permits precise resection, due to only slight intra-operative bleeding coupled with use of the operating microscope. Wound healing is good and post-operative pain remarkably little.

The results of a consecutive series of 1,349 fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies from the head and neck region of 1,193 patients has been reviewed in order to evaluate the efficacy of this method in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenopathy (TBLN). Of the 108 patients whose fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed granulomatous changes, 68 had subsequent surgery and histological confirmation of the cytological appearance. Sixty-three had TBLN, thus the specificity of FNAC was 93 per cent in diagnosing tuberculous related granulomatous lymphadenopathy. One false positive FNAC was reported histologically to be metastatic mucoepidermal carcinoma.

Of the 1,193 patients, 90 patients had subsequently TBLN confirmed histologically. Of these 90 patients, FNA from 69 showed granulomatous changes or acid fast bacilli (AFB), thus the sensitivity of FNAC in detecting tuberculous lymphadenopathy was 77 per cent. Fifty-two cytological smears were stained for acid fast bacilli. Nineteen (37 per cent) contained AFB. It is evident from this review that FNAC is an efficient way to detect cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy.

There is current concern about the possible adverse affects of blood transfusion on patient survival after cancer surgery. In addition, blood transfusion is associated with a low incidence of morbidity and mortality in any patient. 100 patient records have been examined retrospectively to outline the problems with blood transfusion policy in head and neck surgery. The current situation lacks standardization on a scientific basis and represents an area of resource over-utilization. A new approach to this subject in head and neck surgery is proposed and a recommended ‘new policy’ suggested.

Although pseudocyst of the auricle is a common disease in China, its cause and mechanism are still not clear. Several methods of treatment have been advocated: repeated aspirations combined with physiotherapy, and incision and drainage with contour pressure dressing, magnetotherapy etc. In recent years, a new technique with a drainage tube inserted into the pseudocyst using a guide needle has been used in our hospital in the treatment of this condition. We report 45 cases treated by this method, none of whom had the condition previously.

The current investigations of choice for a suspected glomus tumour are either direct or indirect angiography to include digital subtraction followed by computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or, if available, CT and MRI with gadolinium alone. Although these modalities confirm the diagnosis and give anatomical information to facilitate accurate staging, they do not provide functional data. The use of radionuclide scintigraphy can add an extra physiological dimension to glomus tumour imaging.

Iodine-131/123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a tumour imaging agent which has been used to diagnose head and neck neuroendocrine tumours to include paragangliomata and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid (MCT). However, it is expensive and the new head and neck tumour imaging agent technetium-99 m (Tc99m) (v) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) has superceded it as the imaging agent of choice to evaluate MCT. We report a patient with a glomus jugulare tumour which was evaluated with I131/I123-MIBG and Tc99m (v) DMSA. The tumour was functional and is the first reported case exhibiting positive accumulation of both I131-MIBG and Tc99m (v) DMSA. The patient was subsequently treated with a therapeutic dose of I131-MIBG. The significance of these results is discussed.

Kawasaki syndrome is a panvasculitis occurring principally in childhood. Symptoms include fever, ‘strawberry tongue’, cervical lymphadenopathy and dermatological signs. A rare case of Kawasaki syndrome in an adult presenting to the Otolaryngology department is reported. The clinical features of the disease are described highlighting its systemic nature. Treatment options and possible complications are discussed.

Unilateral secretory otitis media is a well recognized presenting feature of nasopharyngeal tumours. In the case described the underlying cause was of oncocytic metaplasia arising in the nasopharynx.

Recent reports have dispelled the previously held concept that head and neck cancer rarely metastases beyond the cervical lymph nodes. Nasopharyngeal cancer has been reported to have a higher incidence of distant metastases compared to other head and neck cancers, the common sites being bone, lung and liver. A case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting as obstructive jaundice because of secondaries at the porta hepatis is presented here.

We report a case of nasopharyngeal squamous carcinoma complicated by diabetes insipidus and hypercalcaemia. As there was no evidence of bony metastases we conclude that this latter finding was due to a humoral factor produced by the tumour. The management of these problems is discussed.

Pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary gland are usually regarded as benign tumours. We report a case in which a solitary pulmonary metastasis arose from a pleomorphic adenoma of the right parotid gland. The mechanism of metastasis is discussed.

The second case of ovarian carcinoma metastatic to the larynx is presented. The sites of the primaries and metastases of previously reported cases are reviewed, and possible methods of spread discussed.

A case of stridor is described which was due to the presence of a foreign body in the larynx of an infant. Following partial removal, compression of the right main bronchus was detected because of continuing low arterial oxygen saturation. The use of pulse oximetry allowed this complication to be identified, and the advantages of this method of monitoring are discussed.

Death from respiratory causes in acromegaly is three times more common than in the general population and is most often the result of upper airways obstruction, although less commonly pulmonary dysfunction and disturbance of the central nervous system may occur. These factors may be found alone or in combination.

Despite several reports of laryngeal involvement, upper airway obstruction in acromegaly is usually regarded as being due to macroglossia and pharyngeal soft tissue hypertrophy. We present four cases of acromegaly in which tracheostomy was required for laryngeal obstruction, with a review of the literature concerning the nature of respiratory problems in acromegaly.

Though a rare lesion a parathyroid cyst is of clinical significance because it usually mimics a thyroid cyst and can be associated with hyperparathyroidism. The cyst can be ectopic with location in the lateral neck or in the mediastinum and therefore constitutes a differential diagnosis to a branchial or thymic cyst.

A case report of a mediastinal parathyroid cyst without hyperparathyroidism is presented. Fine needle aspiration with parathyroid hormone assay on the cyst fluid will reveal the correct diagnosis. Surgical removal of the cyst is recommended, and hyperparathyroidism should be considered.

A case of symptomatic recurrent adenoidal hypertrophy, as the presenting feature of HIV infection in a haemophiliac child, is reported. The incidence of non-malignant nasopharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia in HIV infection is examined and the relevance of the histological appearance is discussed in relation to progression of disease.