Twelve middle ears from human cadavers, prepared for total grafting and preserved in sialit (1:5000) for more than 10–12 months, were studied with the aid of a scanning microscope. Such investigations have not been reported before in the medical literature.

The observed de-epithelialization of most of the membrance and of the ossicles and the distortion of the joints in the transmission apparatus are considered to be results of the prolonged preservation in sialit. The mesenchymal structures are well preserved and this may indicated that, after grafting, revasuclarization occurs along the lumina of the ‘empty’ vessels.

Becuase of this finding it might be considered that the maximum duration of preservation in sialit should be no longer than 10–12 months.

The majority of well differentiated thyroid carcinoma are tumours of low grade malignancy. Laryngotracheal invasion by well differentiated thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon occurrence. The surgical management of patients with thyroid cancer invading the upper airway has primarily been by total laryngectomy. Other surgeons recommend in selected cases partial laryngeal and/or tracheal resection.

A total of 122 patients with thyroid carcinoma were treated in our department between 1967 and 1982. Only seven patients with well differentiated tumours had airway invasion. In these seven patients we used a partial laryngeal and/or tracheal resection. In three of the patients with tracheal invasion a myoperichondrial flap was used for closing the tracheal defect. A partial resection of the larynx and trachea, and end to end anastomosis between the trachea and the remaining part of the larynx was performed in another four patients.

At operation for metastasizing carcinoma of the piriform sinus a patient was found to have two separate parotid tumors, one a pleomorphic adenoma and the other a papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum (Warthin's tumor). These tumors presented as palpable masses on the same side as a lymph node involved with carcinoma. Synchronous parotid tumors of different types are rare; previous reports in the literature show that this combination of pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin's tumor is the most common. We have found no previous report of multiple parotid neoplasms in a patient with coexistent squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

A case of congenital salivary gland tumour occurring in the nasopharynx is reported. Congenital neoplasms of the head and neck (of any histological type) and congenital tumours of the nasopharynx are discussed and the literature is reviewed.

The first bacteriologically confirmed case of oropharyngeal anthrax is described. A 59-year-old male patient presented with sore throat and extensive swelling of the neck and anterior chest wall five hours after the ingestion of uncooked water buffalo meat. Marked inflammation of the oropharynx and a small necrotic area in the left tonsil were found. Culture taken from this area grew Bacillus anthracis. In anthrax-susceptible areas, this acute illness should be added to the differential diagnoses of inflammatory lesion of the oropharynx with extensive neck swelling.

Multiple salivary calculi in Wharton's duct are rare, particularly in children; indeed, we have not come across any references to this particular condition in children.