Antti Palva

Mucosal Histochemistry in Secretory Otitis

Mucosal biopsies were taken from 20 ears with secretory otitis media (glue ear) and histochemical stainings were made for comparison with data obtained from biochemical analysis of the fluids. Acid phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LD), and malate dehydrogenase (MD), the activity of which in the ear fluids was 20 to 30 times higher than in serum, were found to appear as strong precipitates in the middle ear epithelium, particularly in the top layer. Alkaline phosphatase activity was only exceptionally seen in the epithelium but appeared in the capillaries and histiocytes. Nonspecific esterase appeared irregularly in the epithelium and regularly in histiocytes. The latter two had lower activities in ear fluids than in serum. Epithelial secretory cells and subepithelial glands and cysts showed strong alcian blue (AB)-positive staining. Positive material appeared also in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells and in the intercellular substance. Distinct PAS-positive staining appeared in the columnar epithelium and particularly in the free mucus on top of the epithelium but was less pronounced in the glandular structures and absent from the cysts.

Masking in audiometry. III. Reflections upon the present position.

The rules governing the use of masking in air and bone conduction audio-metry are discussed and the situations leading to cross-hearing are presented. The advantages and disadvantages of the bone conduction masking procedure (Rainville) are considered. The authors at present prefer a frontal placement of the bone conduction receiver, the masking noise being led to the ear by an ear canal insert. The latter increases the interaural attenuation by 15 to 20 db and thus facilitates bone conduction audiometry.

Cryocauterization in the treatment of subglottic hemangioma in infants

Cryocauterization seems to be an effective method of treating the subglottic hemangioma of infants. A series of five patients is presented. Cryotherapy, at temperatures of —40°C or —70°C for 60 or 30 seconds respectively, was given at intervals of 2 weeks, 3‐6 sessions being required. During this time the child usually had to remain tracheos‐tomized. No therapeutic or late complications were recorded. The patients have been followed up from 8 to 3 1/2 years, and none of them have shown disturbances of laryngeal development or predisposition to stricture.

MASKING AUDIOMETRY WITH SELF-RECORDING AUDIOMETER. II. CLINICAL EVALUATION.

Results are reported in a series of 125 perceptively impaired ears by determining the course of threshold tracings during a 3-min stimulation, first in quiet and then in the presence of 83 db (over-all) white noise. Larger than 10 db threshold shifts occurred in 21 ears in quiet (17 per cent) and in 44 ears in the presence of noise (35 per cent). Abnormal fatigability may appear in all categories of perceptive hearing loss and as such is not pathognomonic to any particular locus localization of the lesion.

An analysis of mastoid cholesteatomas

Fifty‐five extensive mastoid cholesteatomas filling all the air cell system were found in our material of 2,192 operated‐on chronic ears. They concentrated in younger age groups than ordinary cholesteatomas, although they could also be seen in older people. In the group, 95% of them had attic or posterosuperior perforation. In one‐fourth of the cases the tympanum was also epidermized. The main bacteria were Proteus strains, Staphylococcus aureus/epidermidis, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Allergic Changes in Mastoiditis

Specimens obtained at mastoidectomy for acute, subacute and chronic mastoiditis in children were studied as to the presence of eosinophilic cells and of mast-cells in 71 operated ears. Marked tissue eosinophilia was found in 3 cases only. The maximum number of mast-cells in any one specimen was 8 cells/0.1 mm2; generally the figure was lower. The results are discussed.

Masking Audiometry With Self-Recording Audiometer: I. Normal hearing

Results are reported in normally hearing listeners for the size of the threshold tracings in self-recording audiometry in quiet, and in 45, 65, 83 and 103 db (re 0.0002 microbar) white noise. It is shown that the excursions diminish a few decibels in size when the recording is made in the presence of higher noise levels. As both the testing tone and the noise suffer the same per-stimulatory loudness loss, the recorded tracings show no deterioration as a function of time.