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Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. In sarcoidosis almost all organs can be involved but the disease most often affects the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. Isolated extrapulmonary organs involvement occurs very seldom. We present two cases of sarcoidosis limited to upper respiratory tract--a young woman with laryngeal sarcoidosis and recurrent throat pain, and a woman with disease of the sinuses and pharynx and clinical symptoms of chronic sinusitis poorly responsive to conventional treatment.

Calcification of the auricular cartilages is a very rare disease. Its etiology remains unclear. It may be caused by trauma of cartilage, for example during acupuncture. Sometimes, as reported in literature, calcification of the auricular cartilages is observed in metabolic disorders like Addison disease, adrenal insufficiency or diabetes. The authors present a case of auricular calcification, probably as a result of previous acupuncture.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate a response of the upper airways mucosae to allergens house dust mite: Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Compared were results of nasal challenge with results of skin prick tests. 87 patients with perennial rhinitis allergic to Dermatophagoides farinae and/or Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were included. There were 58 men, 29 women, age 18-54 years, mean age 26 years. Nasal provocation tests were performed first with solvent, and next if flow rate did not change more than 20%, with Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts. The nasal response was evaluated with active anterior rhinomanometry. Nasal flow was measured at 15, 30 and 45 minutes after allergen challenge. There were 99% positive skin prick tests Dermatophagoides farinae and 94% positive skin prick tests Dermatopagoides pteronyssinus. Nasal provocation tests with Dermatophagoides farinae extract were positive in 63% patients and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract--in 62% patients. Majority of nasal challenges were positive at 15th minute. There is association between skin prick tests Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoide pteronyssinus 4+ and positive nasal provocation tests with the same allergen (p < 0.05). We have found correlation between skin tests Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (correlation index = 0.58) and no correlation between nasal provocation Dermatophgoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts., Conclusion: Nasal provocation tests are more specific than skin prick tests in patients with perennial rhinitis.

The author described the case of parotid gland rhabdomyosarcoma in 4 years old boy. As there was no parents agreement to initial, radical surgical treatment, the patient underwent chemo- and radiotherapy, after which temporary remission of the disease was observed. The surgical treatment was performed for local recurrence, but despite radical parotidectomy, which was done, the progression of disease was occurred (with local recurrence and bone metastases). The patient died 3 years after initial diagnosis.

The authors present a rare case of inflammatory disease of submandibular salivary gland (necrotizing sialometaplasia), in which the histopathological examination was of particular value while estimating the final diagnosis. Review of world literature concerning this disease was made.

Long term results were evaluated on the basis of the epidemiological and clinical analysis of 386 patients treated surgically because of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx in the ENT Department, Medical University of Gdańsk between 1981-1990. Full recovery was achieved in 52.3% of patients, failure was found in 26.9%. In the treatment evaluation the following factors were taken into account: the age of patients, T and N classification and clinical staging, primary location of the tumour. The treatment results, concerning the years 1981-1990 were compared to the ones obtained in our clinic in 1971-1980; it has been stated that the differences between the percentage of recoveries and the failures are statistically unimportant.

The most important etiologic factors of laryngeal carcinoma are tobacco smoking and heavy drinking as well as precancerous changes of laryngeal mucosa. The significance of genetic or family factor is still not explained. Two brothers, 45 and 48 years old, in which supraglottic carcinomas were diagnosed, are presented. The tumor localisation was the same in both brothers. In each of the patients supraglottic horizontal laryngectomy and neck dissection were performed. In one brother 5-year disease free survival was obtained, in second the distant and regional metastases were cause of death after two years.