Retronasal and Orthonasal Olfactory Ability After Laryngectomy

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Smell sensation is frequently altered after total laryngectomy (TL). Severe impairments of olfactory ability have been reported in two thirds of patients who undergo laryngectomy, and some degree of hyposmia was found in the remainder.1,2 Olfactory-evoked potentials are also undetectable in many of these patients.2 The inability to detect smoke or other odorous danger signals can threaten the personal safety of patients after laryngectomy. Moreover, impaired olfactory function adversely impacts their quality of life, which contributes to weight loss and poor nutritional status.3 The ability to sense different flavors requires a functional olfactory epithelium. Retronasal olfaction occurs when odorant molecules from the oral cavity are delivered via the nasopharynx and posterior choanae to the olfactory epithelium in the olfactory cleft. Alternatively, orthonasal olfaction occurs when odorant molecules are delivered to the olfactory epithelium via the nares. Following laryngectomy, patients who score poorly on tests of olfactory function also report decreased gustation.1 To our knowledge, the retronasal olfactory ability of patients who undergo laryngectomy has not previously been objectively measured. This investigation was conducted to characterize the orthonasal and retronasal olfactory ability of patients following TL and to assess the correlation between measured olfactory function and the patient's subjective sense of taste and smell.