This was a double-blind randomized study to compare the safety and efficacy of timethoprim-polymyxin B (TP) and trimethoprim-sulfacetamide-polymyxin B (TSP) drops in the treatment of otorrhea. The 68 cases treated suffered from external otitis, recurrent otitis, recurrent otitis media with tympanic membrance perforation, or infected mastoid cavities and post-operative tympanoplasties. The TP ototopical solution was successful in 60·6 per cent of cases compared to 88·6 per cent of cases with TSP. These rates were statistically different using the Chi Square with Yates' correction method.

There were no sings of ototoxicity, fungal infection overgrowth or local sensitivity to either of the solutions.

The study has shown that both drugs are equally safe and that TSP is significantly more effective in the treatment of otorrhea.

At Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, over a 5-year period (1974 to 1978) 15 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx have had planned 2,000 Rad Telecobalt therapy followed by supraglottic horizontal laryngectomy. Five patients following surgery had a further 3,600–4,000 Rad Telecobalt therapy.

The peri-operative complications, in addition to those of whole organ resection, included debilitating laryngeal incompetence in three patients, two of whom underwent total laryngectomy. All 15 patients have remained free of recurrent disease for 2 years and 10 have been free for 3 or more years. One patient dies 4 years after surgery from a primary bronchial carcinoma.