Loring W. Pratt

Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy: Incidence and Mortality, 1968–1972

To determine the number of tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies (T-As) from 1968 to 1972 and their associated morbidity and mortality rates, a questionnaire was sent to all the hospitals listed in the Directory of the American Hospital Association (6,759). The data were analyzed and statistical projections were made. An analysis was also made of the summary report of the “Study on Surgical Services for the United States,” with regard to the incidence of T-A was also made. The results are presented in the following report.

Nasopharyngeal irradiation treatment of hyperplastic adenoids.

Radiotherapy treatment in childhood is an important cause of thyroid cancer. In the 1930 to 1950 era, radium irradiation of the nasopharynx was used to control hyperplastic adenoids. Because of the technical characteristics of this applicator, sufficient radiation was not applied to the thyroid by this technique to stimulate the development of thyroid malignancies. No malignancies have been reported thus far as a result of> this treatment.

Book Review: Diseases of the Ear: Clinical and Pathological AspectsDiseases of the Ear: Clinical and Pathological Aspects, by HawkeMichael and JahnAnthony F., 324 pages with more than 800 color illustrations. Philadelphia, Lea and Febiger, 1987.

The intent of this book is to stimulate research interest in the vestibular system and to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders. The material contained herein should be of interest to otolaryngologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroscientists, and ophthalmologists . A significant amount of space is given to consideration of the function of the labyrinth in Space, one of our current and newer problems associated with the vestibular responses. An item of interest, and of some surprise to me, is that caloric responses are equally as active in individuals in zero-gravity conditions as they are in one-gravity situations. Where we had always assumed convection currents were the cause of caloric labyrinthine stimulation, it now appears that this is not the important factor and that this stimulation is possibly caused by temperature-mediated volume displacement of the endolymph in the semicircular canals and I or direct thermal influence on the vestibular afferent nerve system. There is a significant amount of such material in this book and it is likely that our ideas of basic labyrinthine physiology will be extensively modified by the current work being done in Space and microgravity surroundings. The book is divided into many sections, inclUding Space, Structure and Function of the Vestibular End Organs, Surgery of the Vestibular System, The Role of the Cerebellum, Metabolic Functions, Vestibular Testing, and Visual-Vestibular Interactions of the Central Nervous System. There is a wealth of bibliographic material at the end of each section, and a good index makes it possible to readily locate material of interest. The Publishers have done an excellent job in producing this volume. It has attractive binding, is printed on nonglare paper, and contains many charts and diagrams that are well reproduced. This is a volume of special interest to the researchoriented physician and those interested in detailed complexity of the vestibular system. It is hardly the place for the beginning resident or the practitioner interested only in the clinical problem at hand to search for information. There are other and better sources for those OtolaryngolOQYHead and Neck SurgMY

120.00.

The intent of this book is to stimulate research interest in the vestibular system and to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders. The material contained herein should be of interest to otolaryngologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroscientists, and ophthalmologists . A significant amount of space is given to consideration of the function of the labyrinth in Space, one of our current and newer problems associated with the vestibular responses. An item of interest, and of some surprise to me, is that caloric responses are equally as active in individuals in zero-gravity conditions as they are in one-gravity situations. Where we had always assumed convection currents were the cause of caloric labyrinthine stimulation, it now appears that this is not the important factor and that this stimulation is possibly caused by temperature-mediated volume displacement of the endolymph in the semicircular canals and I or direct thermal influence on the vestibular afferent nerve system. There is a significant amount of such material in this book and it is likely that our ideas of basic labyrinthine physiology will be extensively modified by the current work being done in Space and microgravity surroundings. The book is divided into many sections, inclUding Space, Structure and Function of the Vestibular End Organs, Surgery of the Vestibular System, The Role of the Cerebellum, Metabolic Functions, Vestibular Testing, and Visual-Vestibular Interactions of the Central Nervous System. There is a wealth of bibliographic material at the end of each section, and a good index makes it possible to readily locate material of interest. The Publishers have done an excellent job in producing this volume. It has attractive binding, is printed on nonglare paper, and contains many charts and diagrams that are well reproduced. This is a volume of special interest to the researchoriented physician and those interested in detailed complexity of the vestibular system. It is hardly the place for the beginning resident or the practitioner interested only in the clinical problem at hand to search for information. There are other and better sources for those OtolaryngolOQYHead and Neck SurgMY

Book Review: The Vestibular System: Neurophysiologio and Clinical ResearchThe Vestibular System: Neurophysiologio and Clinical Research, edited by GrahamMalcolm and KeminkJohn L., 687 pages. New York, Raven Press, 1987.

geons. Approximately three-fourths of the text is devoted to head and neck reconstructive problems, making it of interest to head and neck surgeons. In spite of multiple authors, the text flows in a readable fashion, from one case study to the next. The use of consistent illustrating techniques between case studies helps to bridge the gaps often seen in multiple-author texts. The volumes contain many pleasing color illustrations as unit title pages and a group portrait of the contributors. The illustrations in each case study are supplied by the individual authors and thus vary greatly in their style and function. Many color photographs are used in the case discussions. This text represents a unique style of presentation among works devoted to reconstructive surgery. The units on nasal and aural reconstruction demonstrate a wide variety of techniques and the thought processes necessary to develop a reasonable operative plan. Other units on facial reanimation, facial resurfacing, and craniofacial surgery are portrayed in a similar fashion. The editor is for the most part successful in his goal. The Artistry of Reconstructive Surgery is a potentially valuable resource for the reconstructive head and neck surgeon.