Scanning electronmicroscopy and transmission electronmicroscopy were used to study the normal and gentamicin-damaged guinea-pig organ of Corti. Scanning electronmicroscopy was principally used to locate the lesion and quantify the cell loss but also permitted a detailed study to be made of the degenerative surface changes. However, since consistent surface changes are not seen until intracellular degeneration has progressed to a great extent, scanning electronmicroscopy is not a suitable technique for identifying early degenerative changes in the sensory cells of the organ of Corti. Consequently, before conclusions may be drawn about the absence of pathological changes in the neuro-epithelium it also should be examined using transmission electron-microscopy.

Pitfalls in the interpretation of electronystagmographic traces may be avoided by the reduction of artefacts in recording. These artefacts are often the result of poor physical conditions and lack of patient cooperation during recording. This paper examines technique in the clinical practice of eletronystagmography and suggests methods of minimising some of these recording artefacts.