Abstract
Dysosmia as a symptom of nasal and paranasal sinus diseases has stimulated social concern in keeping with the latest changes in lifestyle.
In instituting treatments for nasal and paranasal sinus diseases, there is a tendency to place importance on nasal function, which is especially true for surgical treatment of paranasal sinus disease.
With this in mind, we opened an olfactory outpatient clinic in the Department of Otolaryngology, at Yamanashi Medical University Hospital in 1990 to improve therapeutic results in nasal and paranasal sinus diseases and to actively respond to social needs.
We recently conducted statistical analysis of 102 patients with dysosmia who were seen at our olfactory outpatient clinic between May 1990 and December 1992. This paper presents the results and relevant comments.
Of the 102 patients,57 were male and 45 female. Ages ranged between 9 and 85 years, with males in their 50s and females in their 60s forming the greatest proportion.
Chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were the predominatingly causative disease.
Diagnosis of disturbance by site revealed respiratory dysosmia in 15 cases, olfactory-epithelial dysosmia in 18, combined dysosmia in 40, peripheral nerve dysosmia in 13, and central dysosmia in 16.
Treatment was mainly based on a topical nose drop with suspended steroidal aqueous solution. The improvement rate analysed revealed complete recovery in 39%, improvement in 30%, and no change in 31%.
The standard olfactory acuity test (T & T Olfactometer) and examination of the olfactory cleft region with the Selfoscope (needle-like hard scope) are most important for diagnosing and treating dysosmia.
