Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Tokyo
Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps disturbs olfactory airflow, which is potentially one of the most important factors in olfaction. Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is known to improve olfactory function. Since the airflow is not visible, the effects of polyp formation patterns and its treatment by ESS on olfactory airflow remains largely unclear. We addressed this issue by using a combination of innovative technologies, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, virtual ESS and virtual endoscopy. The blockade of the olfactory airflow inlet (area around the preolfactory region during inspiration and area around the superior meatus during expiration) by polyps decreased the olfactory airflow more than blockade of the outlet. The olfactory airflow was more greatly increased when the superior meatus was enlarged during ESS. Our observations suggest that both polyp conditions and ESS techniques influence the olfactory airflow. The methodology described here would be useful for the future development of personalized ESS to optimize the postoperative olfactory function.
1. Nishijima H, Kondo K, Nomura T, Yamasoba T. Ethmoidectomy combined with superior meatus enlargement increases olfactory airflow. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2:136-146, 2017.
2. Nishijima H, Kondo K, Yamamoto T, Nomura T, Kikuta S, Shimizu Y, Mizushima Y, Yamasoba T. Influence of the location of nasal polyps on olfactory airflow and olfaction. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 8: 695-706, 2018.
Dr. Kondo was born in Takamatsu, Japan in 1969. He received his MD from The University of Tokyo, School of Medicine, in 1994, and completed PhD Program in Medical Science in the Graduate School of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo in 2001. He is now an associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, and a chief physician in Rhinology Clinic at The University of Tokyo Hospital. Dr. Kondo has a broad area of interest in rhinology, especially in the olfactory neuroscience and medicine.