Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology (Dec 2022)

Olfactory training assists in olfactory recovery after sinonasal surgery

  • Joon Yong Park,
  • Bo Yoon Choi,
  • Hansol Kim,
  • Taesik Jung,
  • Jin Kook Kim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.955
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 6
pp. 1733 – 1739

Abstract

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Abstract Objectives Olfactory dysfunction is a common complaint in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of olfactory training (OT) in patients with CRS after sinonasal surgery. Methods We enrolled 111 patients with CRS who underwent sinonasal surgery. Prior to surgery and 3 months after starting OT, the participants were assessed by both an olfactory function test and endoscopy. The Korean version of the Sniffin' Stick II (KVSS‐II) was used to perform the olfactory function test. Over the course of 3 months, five odorants were used in OT (rose, lemon, cinnamon, orange, and peach). Results Over a 12‐week duration, 37% of the participants in the OT group showed clinically relevant increase in olfactory function. The OT group had significantly higher olfactory outcomes for the total KVSS‐II and identification scores than the non‐OT group between the initial and follow‐up assessments. The initial score influenced the degree of olfactory improvement after OT. Conclusions Patients with OT exhibited significantly higher total KVSS‐II scores compared with non‐OT patients following sinonasal surgery; in particular, the odor identification score was different between the two groups. The results of this study demonstrated that a 12‐week period of repeated short‐term exposure to various odors could be useful in enhancing olfactory activity in patients who underwent sinonasal surgery for the improvement of sensory‐neural olfactory impairment. Level of evidence 2c.

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