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Six human epikeratophakia lenticules were removed 1 to 23 months after refractive keratoplasty for aphakia (n = 2) and myopia (n = 4). The myopic group included one epi-lenticule treated with ArF-excimer laser for hyperopia. Reasons for removal were epithelial defect (n = 4), edema of host cornea (n = 1), and overcorrection (n = 1). The epi-lenticule stroma showed centrally a regular fibrillar structure with a low keratocyte density. Electron microscopy (n = 1) revealed preserved cytoplasmic organelles and nuclear appearance. Mononuclear cells were absent. Polysaccharide was demonstrated in the stroma. Bowman's layer was normal without breaks. The epithelium had variable thickness. In the peripheral wound region stromal and epithelial irregularities were evident.

This histological study of 20 fetal heads aged between 8 and 24 weeks of gestation demonstrates and describes the embryonic development of the lateral wall of the nose. The three turbinates (inferior, middle, and superior) arise as soft-tissue swellings (preturbinates) by 8 weeks' gestation. A cartilage capsule surrounds the nose at 8 weeks and by 9 weeks, medially directed flanges of cartilage have invaded all three preturbinates. The uncinate process arises from the medial surface of the lateral cartilaginous capsule and is first identifiable by 10 weeks. An "air space" progressively develops from 11 to 12 weeks lateral to the cartilaginous uncinate process and from this space, the embryonic channel to the maxillary sinus develops. The embryonic woven bone of the maxilla can be identified from 9 to 10 weeks and enlarges both absolutely and relatively to the nasal cavity, so that by 13 to 14 weeks, this expanding bone forms the lateral wall of the inferior meatus as the cartilaginous nasal capsule regresses.

The foramen of Huschke, which appears during the embryological development of the tympanic bone, usually closes by the age of five years. A review of 377 dried skulls revealed that the foramen of Huschke was present in adult life in 7% of the skulls examined. A patent foramen of Huschke in the adult may, in rare cases, be the cause of temporomandibular joint herniation or fistulization through the anterior wall of the bony external canal.

The presence of an epidermoid-like formation located in the mucosa of the anterosuperior quadrant of the lateral wall of the developing middle ear was first described by Michaels in 1986. In a review of 41 middle ears from 20 serially sectioned fetus heads and one fetus temporal bone from our collection, six epidermoid formations were identified. Our study confirms the existence of this formation which we have decided to name Michaels' structure after Professor Leslie Michaels, the discoverer of this structure. The reasons for the different incidence of its occurrence in our series when compared to Michaels' original report, and the possible significance of Michaels' structure in the pathogenesis of congenital cholesteatoma of the middle ear are discussed.

The clinical and radiological findings in the first case in the literature of spontaneous, bilateral and asymptomatic herniation of soft tissue from the temporomandibular joint into the anterior wall of the external canal are presented. With the patient's mouth closed, the herniations appeared as a dome-shaped swelling located on the anterior wall of each bony external auditory canal. With the patient's mouth opened, the dome-shaped swellings were retracted anteriorly, producing an invagination of the skin of the external canal at the site of the previous herniation. A high resolution CT scan of the temporal bones revealed that the soft tissue of both temporomandibular joints was protruding through a congenital dehiscence in the anterior wall of the tympanic bones.

The paraseptal cartilage was first named by Spurgat in 1896. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the paraseptal cartilage of the lower and higher mammals was studied in great detail; however, very few studies were carried out on the human paraseptal cartilage. Over the past 20 years no articles have been published in the English literature on this topic. Despite all the early interest in this topic, several questions still remain unanswered about the origin of paraseptal cartilages, their ultimate fate (i.e. do they disappear or persist?) and their relationship with the vomer, the nasal capsule, and with Jacobson's organ. Eighteen human fetus heads ranging in age from eight to 32 weeks were studied and the literature reviewed. The development of the paraseptal cartilage and its clinical significance are discussed.

The clinical and radiological findings in a patient who developed a spontaneous fistula between the right temporo-mandibular joint and the external auditory canal are presented. A high resolution CT scan revealed that the fistula had developed through a congenital dehiscence in the anterior wall of the tympanic bone.