A histological study of 100 hearing ears showed that some capability for speech discrimination requires at least 10,000 spiral ganglion cells. The spiral ganglion cell populations were then estimated in another group of 62 ears which were profoundly deaf for a variety of causes and it was found that 45% of these met the criterion of having 10,000 ganglion cells. The ganglion cell populations were largest in ears deafened by sudden deafness, Meniere's Disease, and ototoxic drugs; they were somewhat less for those with vascular occlusion, temporal bone fracture, otosclerosis, and cochlear dysplasias; they were least in those with measles, bacterial labyrinthitis and congenital syphilis. The data is of relevance in the selection of patients for cochlear implantation.

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This guideline was compiled by members of a standing committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. The intent of this guideline is to provide practitioners, referring physicians, patients, third-party payers, and cognizant government authorities with the fundamental principles involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the patient with allergic rhinitis. Although developed solely through the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, the statements and recommendations are drawn from the entire spectrum of English-speaking literature from the United States and Europe. Articles were independently reviewed by members of the Committee, many of whom sit on editorial review boards for major professional publications. A grading system was used to categorize individual articles to demonstrate the format used to arrive at conclusions. The grade is recorded at the end of each article reference. The grading scale follows: Grade A: A study involving prospective or well-selected retrospective patient populations. The conclusions drawn are well supported by the scientific work. Little controversy relating to these conclusions would be expected. Grade B: A scientific study executed without major flaws. Limitations may exist such that the conclusions drawn remain subject to controversy. Grade C: An anecdotal or case report study.

There are many pathologic processes that occur in the mouth which have various intraoral manifestations. The differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions of the oral cavity takes on a high degree of significance because therapy may span such a wide range from no treatment at all to massive radical resection for melanoma. A thorough understanding of pigmented lesions of the oral cavity would assist the clinician in establishing a diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan. A comprehensive review of the literature and a discussion of oral pigmented lesions including infiltrative malignant melanoma is presented.

Fibrous dysplasia of bones comprising the paranasal sinuses is well recognized. Depending on the anatomic areas of the skull involved by this neoplasm, a combined approach for surgical removal may be necessitated. A case of a patient with fibrous dysplasia of the ethmoid sinus, possibly the first reported case of such change in the ethmoid bone itself, is presented. A two-stage, combined otolaryngologicneurosurgical craniofacial resection was the method of treatment.