Abstract
The olfactory epithelium was obtained, by using a biopsy instrument we devised, from a laryngectomized patient who had undergone laryngectomy about three years and eight months ago. Light and transmission electron microscopic observation of the specimen revealed normal thickness of the olfactory epithelium and without findings of atrophy. The epithelial structure was found to be normal; no degeneration was present in the supporting cells, olfactory cells or basal cells; and the submucosal tissue was found to be normal, too. There was no abnormality in microstructures such as the olfactory vesicles and olfactory cilia.
These morphological observations and the data from clinical olfactory tests in the laryngectomized patient strongly indicated that disuse atrophy dose not occur in the olfactory epithelium of laryngectomized patients.
