Ototoxic activities of an aminoglycoside, 3, 4-dideoxykanamycin B (DKB) and diuretic furosemide were tested in guinea pigs. Cochlear and renal changes were examined by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopies in addition to optical microscopy.
While a single administration of either DKB or furosemide caused no prominent damages in the organ of Corti, animals treated with combination of the two (DKB 400mg/kg i. m. plus furosemide 100 or 150mg/kg i. v.) had marked degeneration in the organ of Corti and marked renal changes.
Based on these findings, it was demonstrated that cochlear toxicity of either drug is synergistically potentiated by the other one in combining an aminoglycoside and furosemide, and suggested that clinical usage of aminoglycosides and diuretic ethacrynic acid or furosemide in combination must be avoided.

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The pathology of vestibular organs including four cases of acoustic tumor, a case of Ménière's disease and two cases of leukaemia were observed by using scanning electron microscope.
The vestibular organs of acoustic tumor and Meniere's disease were taken during surgery. Some degenerative changes of these diseases were recognized. But it is assumed that in three cases of acoustic tumor, normal sensory cilia were observed and at the surface two types of sensory cells existed.
The degeneration of stereocilia seems to occur from the shortest cilia. The degenerative change; of lateral semicircular canal of Meniere's disease was observed in the whole neurosensory epithelium and especially in the central part of the crista strong degenerative changes were recognized. The cilia of sensory cells had shortened. In the vestibular organ of leukaemia numerous global substances protruded from supporting cells.

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The ototoxic drugs were injected into the middle ear cavity and abdominal cavity of guinea pig. 4 mg Gentamycin was injected into the middle ear cavity for successive 10 days. The neurosensory epithelium of vestibular apparatus was severely damaged. During this degenerative process the various changes of rigidity, fusing, balloon-like changes of sensory cilia were observed by using scanning electron microscope. In the groups of intra peritoneal injection of streptomycin, similar results were recognized. But the groups which were applied with Gentamycin into middle ear cavity showed stronger acute changes than the intra peritoneal injection groups. And also new findings of otoconial degeneration were seen through intra peritoneal streptomycin injection.

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Fifteen adult dogs were used in this study. The pharyngeal orifice of Eustachian tube was obstructed by laminalia. Epithelium of Eustachian tube was observed in 1 and 3 weeks after surgery using scanning electron microscope. One week later effusion was recognized in the middle ear cavity and the cilia of Eustachian tube lost their metachronal wave. Three weeks later some of the cilia disappeared and others deformed in some parts.

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55 cases of the chronic sinusitis and antral cysts were studied under the light and electron microscope.
The mucous membranes were taken from the antrum during the operation and their mucociliary activity had been previously examined by the injection method of the roentgen-opaque medium.
The ultrastructural changes of the mucosa with good ventilation of the antrum were restricted in the cilia and surface of the epithelial cells. The compound cilia which contained many axial filaments complexes in the homogeneous matrix were commonly found in these cases.
The characteristic features of the cases with poor ventilation were decrease in number of the ciliated cells and it seems to correlate with malfunction of the antral ventilation. The cases of the antral cysts showed most remarkable. changes. The ciliated cells had almost disappeared and squamous cells were developed in many cases. The intercellular spaces were widened and filled with infiltrative cells and exudative fluid. However, the present studies failed to show any complete degeneration of the whole epithelial cells even in the heavy inflammatory cases, so it may be safe to say that the degenerated cells are immediately replaced by the young cells. In conclusion, we would like to say after the present ultrastructural findings that the diseased mucous membranes should not be removed completely, because they always possess the capability to return to the normal epithelium if the ventlation of the antrum is improved.

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Two extirpated larynges with recurrence of supraglo0tttic cancer which had received Lineac irradiation in doses of 8000 rads in about one year and two years previously, and three larynges with squamous cell carcinoma that have been removed after preoperative Lineac therapy, receiving 3500-4500 rads in doses, were studied by a new technique of scanning electron microscopic cinematography.
Surface topography in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx showed a bulging appearance of cell and an irregular rough pattern with an abundance of cytoplasmic process in different sizes and shapes, and looseness of each cell boundary.
In non-ciliated cells distributing in the false cord, entrance portion of ventricle and subglottic areas after Lineac radiation, significant changes of tightly packed microvilli and stripped or destructed cell surfaces were demonstrated.
Ciliated epithelium was also highly susceptible to irradiation.
Some evidences of compound cilia which caused in pathological adhesion of each cell membrane of the cilia, blebs formation and polypous appearance of the cilia with accompanying decreased numbers of cilia or shortness of ciliary shaft were presented characteristically.
From both morphological and functional points of view, radiation pathology of the laryngeal mucosa and cancer, in particular, practical significance in ultrastructural research on cinematographic analysis of SEM features were discussed briefly.

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The tracheal mucous membrane of normal, viral bronchotracheitis of human was observed by using scanning electron microscope. In addition experiments by using poisonous gas (Mustard) inhaled into mice was done. Normal tracheal mucous membrane was covered with beautiful ciliated cells, non ciliated cells and goblet cells. Near the top of the cilia microfilament-like structure was seen. The tracheal mucous membrane of tracheitis by viral infection taken at the autopsy was severely deteriorated. The ciliated cells and goblet cells had disappeared from the tracheal mucous membrane and only the basal cells remained on the basal membrane. Many basal cells had also disappeared from the basal membrane. On the tracheal mucous membrane of bronchotracheitis patients, the cilia had decreased and the enlarged tracheal ducts and increased mucous balls were observed. In the Mustard inhaled mice, the tracheal mucous membrane was severely damaged. The cilia of tracheal epithelium were almost gone, the surface of non ciliated cell was also deteriorated. The regeneration of cilia sprouted about 2 weeks later.

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Three dimentional ultrastructure of nasal, laryngeal and tracheal mucosa after shunting air way from nasal passages in tracheal fenestration dogs, which we have modified the technique of Whicker et al., were investigated.
In the anterior third of the lateral wall and septum of the nose and the localized region of the subglottic areas, the mucous membranes were composed from various types of the non-ciliated cells such as sqnamons, low cuboidal and columnar epithelia. These areas, so called “inactive areas” were replaced by numerous ciliated cells in eight months after tracheal fenestration. On the other hand, the respiratory mucosa on the opposite side of the tracheal stoma were covered by stratified squamous epithelium in the animal of eigth months postoperatively following the marked proliferation of the goblet cells in that within the first two weeks after the operation. Additionally, same characteristic morphology of the non-ciliated cells as “inactive areas” mentioned above, were observed on the peripheral tracheal mucosa right below the edge of the stoma.
From the results obtained, it would be presumed that these morphological features, namely the epithelial modulation, might be attributed to alteration in air conditioning mechanism affecting the respiratory epithelia after the operation such as absence of the stimulated effects of dust, fumes and microorganismus, high humidity and constant regulation of temperature inside the respiratory tract.

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A system of surgical treatment for episodic vertigo was introduced by the authors. This system was divided into three steps as follows:
The first step: Perivascular sympathectomy at the proximal part of the vertebral artery
The second step: Extradural endolymphatic sac operation (Portmann's operation)
The third step: Destructive operation of the labyrinth
Perivascular sympathectomy of the vertebral artery was possible to prevent episodic vertigo without any surgical trouble. But, hearling improvent was not found by this operation. Portmann's operation showed good results on the improvement of hearling loss as well as vertigo in cases of Meniere's disease with the glycerol effect. The third step operation was not necessary except one case treated by ultrasonic ir- radiation.

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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