[Otospongiosis: different surgical technics, identical results. Why?]. / Otospongiose: techniques chirurgicales différentes, résultats identiques. Pourquoi?

Both platinectomy and platinotomy are currently used to treat otosclerosis surgically. Though the techniques are different from one another, especially by the new area ratio between tympanic membrane and stapes foot-plate, the results are similar. It should be clear that the simple "piston model" of the tympanic ossicular system cannot explain this results. If, for the seesaw mechanical view, a vibratory molecular system conducting acoustic energy is substituted, a pertinent explanation can be given for this result. Thus, understanding of the pattern motion of the tympanic ossicular system has to change drastically.

[Endoscopy of the eustachian tube. 1st evaluation]. / Endoscopie de la trompe d'Eustache. Premier bilan.

The authors present a novel, original method for exploration of the middle ear cavity using Eustachian tube endoscopy. The diameter of the fibre optic tube was only 0.9 mm, hence the term micro-endoscopy. This endoscopic procedure was used during surgery for chronic otitis, where there was evidence of tubal etiology which required confirmation. The preliminary results are presented.