Page 60 - Olfaction regained_Flipbook-subtitles

Patients: Forty-one laryngectomized individuals who received olfaction rehabilitation training from 4 months up to 2 years earlier with the NAIM. This so-called 'Polite Yawning' manoeuvre creates an under-pressure in the oral cavity, which, in turn, generates a nasal airflow enabling odour molecules to reach the olfactory epithelium again. Main outcome measures: Olfaction acuity testing with a standard odour detection test (ODT), with a questionnaire, providing a subjective olfaction score ('Present Odour Perception Scale'; POPS), and with the ZGT; assessment of the patients' correct execution of the NAIM by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) on video recordings made during odour testing; and assessment of olfaction acuity long-term. Results: The correlation between the previously used ODT/POPS combination and the ZGT was r=.563 (P<.001). Based on these results we preferred to use the much simpler ZGT instead of the laborious combination of the ODT/POPS. Based on the ZGT results, 46% of the laryngectomized individuals were 'smellers' and could be considered normosmic. There was a significant relation (P=.028) between the patients' correct execution of the NAIM and whether or not the laryngectomized individual was a 'smeller' according to the ZGT. Conclusions: The effectiveness of the Nasal Airflow Inducing Manoeuvre (NAIM), or so-called 'Polite Yawning' technique, for the rehabilitation of olfaction in laryngectomized individuals could be reconfirmed. The long-term olfaction rehabilitation is achieved in about half of the patients, but more intensified training may be needed to increase the percentage of successfully rehabilitated individuals. The ZGT is an effective and simple test for the assessment of olfaction acuity in laryngectomized individuals. 59