The characteristics of Reissner’s membrane from 47 human cochleae with mild endolymphatic hydrops, profound sensorineural deafness and normal ears were studied by light microscopy. The highest cell densities were observed in the zones adjacent to the limbus spiralis and the stria vascularis. The cell density of Reissner’s in normal ears decreased with age concomitant with an increased formation of epithelial cell clusters. In hydrops, the density increased with the exception of the apical turn. However, sporadic loss of the cells in isolated areas of the membrane was observed. The ears with profound deafness showed no significant changes compared with age-related controls. No definite relationship between Reissner’s cell density and hair cell loss or strial atrophy was observed.

Histological studies were performed on the temporal bones of 17 persons who died of intracranial abscess as a complication of chronic otitis media and mastoiditis. In all cases the route of intracranial infection was via the dura mater rather than through the labyrinth. During the acute stage of intracranial abscess formation, the site of intracranial invasion showed a destructive inflammatory reaction characterized by the presence of granulations, resorption and sequestration of bone, invasive cholesteatoma, collections of purulent exudate, and necrosis of dura mater. At this stage any attempt at definitive removal of diseased tissue would necessarily result in a larger dural defect at a time when local disease and systemic illness present unsuitable conditions for reparative procedures. For this reason it would seem prudent to limit early otologic surgery to ensuring adequate drainage (e.g., postauricular open-wound drainage) and to perform corrective surgery (e.g., tympanomas-toidectomy with repair of the dural defect) after the intracranial abscess has been brought under control.

The vestibular ganglia in 11 temporal bones from subjects with known premortem unilateral Meniere's disease were studied for evidence of increased fibrosis. Tissue sections were treated with Gomori's trichrome stain and were examined independently by each of seven persons experienced in histological study. The averaged ratings for the amount of fibrous tissue in the vestibular ganglia showed no significant differences for ears with Meniere's disease, the opposite uninvolved ears, and the controls.

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