Facial skeletal morphology was studied by cephalometric analysis in 25 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and ten controls. The hyoid bone was more inferiorly positioned in patients (at the level of cervical vertebrae C4-C6) than in controls (C3-C4 level). The height and length of the nasal cavity was normal, while the length of the bony nasopharynx was moderately reduced. The mandibular plane inclination was slightly larger in patients as was the anterior face height. Mandibular retrognathia was demonstrated in six patients (24 per cent), but the angles of maxillary and mandibular prognathism was within normal limits when the group was considered as a unity. Cephalometric analysis is highly recommended as a diagnostic aid in OSAS patients, especially when surgical intervention is considered.

The Klippel-Feil syndrome is usually associated with sensorineural deafness and reports of conductive or mixed deafness are rare. Four additional cases are presented in this paper. The middle ear anomalies found in this syndrome are discussed. The results of middle ear surgery are reviewed and found to be poor.

An unusual presentation of a neurilemmoma in the cerebellopontine (CP) angle is reported. The tumour was localised in the CP angle and the case presented with post-auricular swelling and erosion of the squamous part of temporal bone without involvement of the auditory or other cranial nerves.

Facial nerve palsy is a known complication of acute suppurative otitis media. Cases of facial nerve palsy following secretory otitis media have not been reported in the world literature. We report a case of bilateral facial nerve palsy following secretory otitis media.

Schistosoma mansoni is common in Nigeria as well as in other countries of West Africa (Edington, 1979). The eggs are laid in the small venules of the submucosal layer of the intestinal wall and pass out usually in the faeces but some may enter the blood stream to be found in any organ of the body (Edington et al., 1975). However, a careful search of the available literature failed to reveal any report of schistosomiasis in the ear and hence it was decided to publish this rare case.

Where elective surgery carries a risk of damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, pre-operative examination of the larynx is routine. The incidence of positive findings at such examination has been determined by retrospective review of 1,947 clinic records. Only 31 vocal cord palsies were found. The possible causes and relevance of such findings are discussed.

Cricothyroid muscle paralysis is often missed as the symptoms are not dramatic and the laryngeal observations, on conventional indirect mirror examination, are inconclusive. The anatomy and physiology of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) and cricothyroid muscle are described. Three case reports are presented to illustrate our diagnostic techniques. Videofibrolaryngoscopy and electromyography are found to be invaluable tools for the diagnosis of this condition. The importance in diagnosing this entity is discussed.

Although the association of maxillary sinusitis with nasal polyps is widely recognized little has been written on its precise incidence and degree. Antroscopy of 70 antra with ipsilateral polyps showed a high incidence of mucosal abnormalities, retained secretions and ostial narrowing. Comparison of these findings with pre-operative X-rays showed the latter were unreliable in detecting retained antral fluid. It is concluded that in nasal polyposis the antra warrant careful assessment and that antroscopy is a highly satisfactory method for this purpose.

It is almost impossible to establish the natural history of Menière's disease and, by the same token, it is difficult to confirm the efficacy of endolymphatic sac surgery. The authors doubt the logic of sac operations. Only two controlled trials of sac surgery have been found and both cast doubt upon its value. There do not appear to be any controlled trials indicating that it works.

In 14 cases of incapacitating Menière's disease, where vestibular nerve section was indicated, cortical mastoidectomy was offered and accepted in the expectation that two-thirds might be spared the more major procedure. In the event, the vertigo was controlled in eight out of 14 (57 per cent), the remaining six (43 per cent) requiring more major surgery.

A surgical model illustrates that, of themselves, these results are essentially meaningless in assessing the efficacy of cortical mastoidectomy in Menière's disease. Until all cases in a community are considered and followed-up, we shall be in doubt about the value of sac surgery and most other treatments of Menière's disease.

Previous reports describe Cogan's syndrome occurring in young adults this case shows that it can be diagnosed in an older patient, and that prompt treatment is often successful, making it a worthwhile diagnosis to consider in patients with sudden hearing loss. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was a useful marker for disease activity in this patient.

Complete clinical facial paralysis immediately after acoustic neuroma removal occurs in between 40 to 90 per cent of patients despite the fact that the facial nerve has been preserved anatomically. Some of these patients improve rapidly with adequate cosmetic and functional recovery. Others however, have incomplete or no return of useful function.

A pilot study to assess the prognostic value of electroneuronography (ENOG) in 14 patients following acoustic neuroma removal was performed. The results suggest that post operative ENOG is of value in dividing those patients with anatomically intact facial nerves yet complete clinical paralysis post-operatively into groups: one with rapid improvement to an acceptable functional and cosmetic result and one with prolonged paralysis with incomplete or no recovery. Electroneuronography may thus be used to predict the initial recovery profile in patients with complete facial paralysis after surgery.

Fibrosarcoma may involve the ethmoid sinus by extension from the maxillary antrum or, more rarely arise as a primary neoplasm.

A case of a well differentiated primary fibrosarcoma of the ethmoid sinuses is reported which presented in a 24-year-old male. The tumour was treated by wide local resection. From a review of similar cases in the literature together with their treatment modalities and outcome. It is concluded that wide local resection is the treatment of choice.

Cholesterol granulomata of the middle ear occasionally accompany chronic middle-ear diseases with diminished ventilation. In the paranasal sinuses, especially in the frontal sinus, they have occasionally been mentioned in the literature.

Disordered ventilation and impaired drainage are decisive pathogenic factors in the causation of cholesterol granuloma. Views remain divided on the source of the cholesterol and on the importance of bleeding in the development of cholesterol granuloma. Two patients with a cholesterol granuloma of the frontal sinus are presented and discussed.

A case of lingual abscess is presented. The sparsity of physical signs made ultrasound imaging an invaluable investigation in the diagnosis.

Laryngeal tuberculosis is one of the rarer forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. A retrospective analysis of 26 patients seen in the last nine years in our hospital was conducted to illustrate the various modes of clinical presentation. Of the 26 patients, twenty were male and six female. The average age of presentation was 47 years with an age range of 15 months to 71 years. Hoarseness (92.3 per cent) was the commonest symptom. The laryngoscopic appearances often simulated malignancy. Most patients (69.2 per cent) outnumbered ulcerative ones (38.5 per cent). Laryngeal oedema was infrequent (7.7 per cent). Diagnosis was based on a laryngeal biopsy in 18 patients and on evidence of associated pulmonary tuberculosis and response to anti-tuberculous therapy in eight. Chest X-rays showed apical cavitation and infiltration as the commonest findings. Three patients had miliary tuberculosis and one had no pulmonary lesion. Diabetes mellitus was present in seven (26.9 per cent) patients. Four illustrative cases are described. The problems in diagnosis and management of laryngeal tuberculosis are discussed.

In this report a 13-year-old girl with characteristic clinical and pathological features of alveolar soft part sarcoma of the tongue is presented. Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor of unknown origin. Forty eight cases of alveolar soft part sarcoma have so far been reported in the head and neck region. Median survival reported for all sites of the body is 79 months following various modes of therapy. In this case, the treatment was surgical excision of the mass combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The patient has been asymptomatic for the past 12 months.

An 80-year-old man was seen in the clinic with a two month history of pain, bleeding and deafness in his left ear; accompanied by a left facial palsy. Six months earlier, anaplastic carcinoma of the bladder had been diagnosed and treated with radiotherapy. On examination there was a mass in his left external auditory canal and VII, VIII, IX and X left cranial nerve palsies. Histology of a biopsy was identical with his original bladder tumour. He received a course of palliative radiotherapy but died shortly after. Post-mortem demonstrated the left temporal bone metastasis extending into the middle and posterior cranial fossae. There was no evidence of residual bladder tumour, or other primary tumour. Temporal bone metastases are probably more common than generally thought. Presentations like this may become more common as cancer therapy improves, with patients surviving longer and presenting later with metastatic disease.

Aspiration into the lower respiratory tract can be detrimental to life. Ten patients, suffering from neurological dysphagia with aspiration, were studied. Neurological disorders can cause inadequate glottic closure resulting in aspiration. It has not been well recognized however, that even patients who have full glottic closure are still capable of aspirating in the pre- and post-deglutition stages of swallowing. The combined techniques of videofibrolaryngoscopy and videofluoroscopy are found to be the best methods for demonstrating these abnoralities. Development of new techniques, in the prevention of aspiration, should also take into account silent, pre- and post-deglutitional aspiration.