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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Loss of Sense of Smell
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Loss of Sense of Smell
by sunnyzak, Aug 07, 2005 12:00AM
I am a 50 year old that had a subarachoid hemorrage in May, 2005. It could not be determined what the cause was so I had a right pterional craniotomy with exploration of the anterior circulation for aneurysm. My recovery continues but I have lost my sense of smell. Is there any thing I can take and/or do to help this sense once again function?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, Aug 13, 2005 12:00AM
In our practise, an angiogram is performed first to identify an aneurysm, then if necessary an open operation is performed later if a discovered aneurysm needs to be clipped. Many aneurysms can be 'coiled' or fixed just by doing an angiographic procedure.
Loss of smell occurs from injury to the olfactory cells, plate or nerve that originates high up in the nose, enter the base of the skull and hence the brain. It is quite susciptible to injury due to truama, skull fracture, increased intracranial pressure, or open brain surgery, paricularly the pterional approach and the reatraction of the frontal lobe necessary to get at the deep arterial structures. I cannot say for sure if your surgery produced the loss of smell, did you have any trauma? or any subarachnoid blood in the area of the olfactory nerve? these could contribute to the cause also
The prognosis is unclear at this early point, it may be temporary or permament. Usually if no function is present at 1 year after injury it is unlikely to return
Loss of smell occurs from injury to the olfactory cells, plate or nerve that originates high up in the nose, enter the base of the skull and hence the brain. It is quite susciptible to injury due to truama, skull fracture, increased intracranial pressure, or open brain surgery, paricularly the pterional approach and the reatraction of the frontal lobe necessary to get at the deep arterial structures. I cannot say for sure if your surgery produced the loss of smell, did you have any trauma? or any subarachnoid blood in the area of the olfactory nerve? these could contribute to the cause also
The prognosis is unclear at this early point, it may be temporary or permament. Usually if no function is present at 1 year after injury it is unlikely to return
