Olfactory meningiomas. Report on a series of twenty-five cases.
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There have been several studies on anosmia following operations on anterior circulation aneurysms, but no similar study has yet been reported on pituitary gland adenomas which required the transcranial approach. In this study, 38 cases with pituitary gland adenomas, for whom the pterional approach was employed, were observed retrospectively from the point of view of postoperative olfactory nerve function. In the postoperative period only one case complained of impaired sense of smell on the operated side. Eight cases objectively showed olfactory nerve dysfunctions. The olfactory nerve function could be preserved at a relatively high rate of 79 per cent. This high rate, we think, resulted from the microtechnique employed as well as the relatively cautious frontal retraction which was less than 1.5 cm.
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Although the sitting position offers advantages for posterior fossa surgery, it is accompanied by complications such as air embolism and pneumatocephalus. Subdural and epidural haematomas are less common postoperative complications of posterior fossa surgery. To the best of our knowledge, however, anosmia is not a known sequela of surgery in the sitting position. It has been described following aneurysm surgery in the rostral part of the circle of Willis and is, of course, well known in traumatic brain injury.
The aetiology of the Shy-Drager syndrome (multiple system atrophy) is unknown. We reported previously a preliminary association between environmental-occupational risk factors and Shy-Drager syndrome. To further investigate this relationship, we evaluated olfactory function in eight patients in different stages of disease. When the eight patients' olfactory function was compared with 203 age- and sex-matched controls using a self-administered olfactory test, seven scored below the 39th percentile of this population. Five of the eight patients had total anosmia or microsmia. Additional studies will be required to elucidate the significance of this abnormal clinical observation.
Axillary 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one (5 alpha-androstenone) levels were found to be significantly higher in men than in women but do not vary between left and right axillae, are not related to age, handedness or degree of hirsutism (in women) nor to anosmia to this steroid. In men (but not in women), levels are related linearly to axillary cholesterol concentrations but not to squalene. Olfactory thresholds for 5 alpha-androstenone varied widely, the lowest recorded being 0.2 ppb, but there was no difference in thresholds between men and women. Women (70%) found the smell 'repellant' but anosmia did not differ greatly between men and women (9-20%). Anosmia to the smell of 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 alpha-ol was most marked in women (90%) rather than in men (45%). Axillary 5 alpha-androstenone values were generally consistent with the 'musky' or 'strong' smells of male axillary extracts, compared with the 'sweet' smell of those from female subjects.
Sensory deprivation produced by removing the eyes and olfactory bulbs in male rats allowed pinealectomy to markedly augment the post-adrenalectomy elevation of ACTH levels. Pineal removal or sensory deprivation separately did not have this effect. Thus, intact sensory input and an intact pineal gland are independently capable of restricting the post-adrenalectomy rise in ACTH levels.
Previous studies have shown that daily afternoon injections of melatonin in anosmic male rats result in depressed accessory sex organ weights and serum prolactin levels. The present data indicate that the prolactin-inhibitory effect of melatonin may be mediated via the dopaminergic system.
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Previous studies show that the suppression of gonadal function in blind-anosmic rats is dependent on the pineal gland. The present results demonstrate that in young female rats both the pineal gland and dual sensory deprivation have additional independent antigonadal effects.
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A long-term follow-up study was performed on randomly selected patients after simple snare polypectomies. There were 243 patients, of whom 211 underwent endoscopic examination. There were 154 males and 57 females and median age was 57.7 years. Median period of follow-up was 8 years (range, 38-145 months). The median number of polypectomies was 1.6 (range, 1-15). Polyp eosinophilia was recorded in 97% of the cases. From life-table analysis the 5-year rate for two or less polypectomies was 80% (95% confidence intervals, 75-86%). Symptoms and findings were recorded at a median time of 56 months from the last polypectomy. At this time 70% of the patients denied blocked nose or excessive secretions. Seventeen per cent of the group claimed loss of sense of smell, while 28% stated that it was poor. At follow-up, large polyps were found in 3% of the patients, moderately sized ones in 30% and small in 42%. No polyps were visible in 25%. Patients with asthma (26%) had more polypectomies than those without (median, 2.4 versus 1.4). Patients with a history of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug intolerance (7%) had the highest number of polypectomies. Previous troublesome sinusitis and allergy seemed not to exert major influence on the number of polypectomies needed. In the primary care of nasal polyp patients, the majority only need minor or limited surgery or only medical treatment.
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BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine possible changes in olfactory threshold after functional and esthetic nasal operations and to evaluate whether these changes were recognized by the patients. METHODS: The study included 41 patients before and after nasal surgery (septoplasty, septorhinoplasty). Nasal airway resistance, olfactory thresholds, and subjective symptom scores were evaluated and compared pre- and postoperatively. The mean follow-up was 5.4 months. Olfactory performance was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative values in the screening test for olfactory sensitivity were not significantly different from those before nasal surgery. Nasal ventilation was improved postoperatively in all patients, assessed by determination of nasal airway resistance and subjective symptom scores. Besides an increase in nasal ventilation, functional and esthetic nasal operations can lead to improvement of olfactory function. The rarely seen postoperative increase in olfactory threshold does not seem to be subjectively recognizable by the patients.
BACKGROUND: An additional diagnostic option for olfactory dysfunction is the study of the olfactory epithelium. METHODS: Biopsies of the olfactory epithelium were performed under local anaesthesia on five patients with a history of head trauma with anosmic results in the Sniffin' Sticks test. The biopsy of a normosmic patient served as a control. Immunochemistry of frozen sections and explant culture studies were made, investigating ability to attach to the culture plate and the outgrowth of neuronal cells after growth-factor stimulation. RESULTS: The biopsies were carried out without any complications. All biopsies were positive for neurofilament, a marker for immature neurons. Substantial differences in the explants' ability to attach to the culture plate occurred, with a rate of between 25% and 100%. The control showed 67%. After stimulation with growth factors (FGF(2)), the cultures with more attached cells showed neuronal differentiation with the appearance of bipolar cells. CONCLUSIONS: The biopsy of the human olfactory epithelium is a minimally invasive procedure which can provide further information on specific changes and possible regenerative ability. Further studies with larger numbers of patients with different causes of an impaired sense of smell are needed to determine specific changes.
Olfaction not only contributes to our quality of life but, among other functions, it is also necessary for identifying potential dangers, e.g., fire or spoilt food. In general the value of olfaction is only recognized when the sense of smell is impaired or lost. Olfactory dysfunction is diagnosed according to its cause (e.g., sinonasal, post-traumatic, post-upper respiratory tract infection, neurodegenerative, and idiopathic). At present little is known about prognostic factors for predicting resolution of olfactory loss on an individual basis. In cases of impaired olfaction due to sinonasal disease, both conservative and operative treatments have been established. Corticoids are used both topically and systemically. In cases of severe mechanical obstructions or advanced stages of nasal polyposis, FESS (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) seems to be the state of the art.
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