A new minimally invasive procedure may restore COVID-related impaired sense of smell, suggests a small study to be presented at next week’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in Chicago.
Researchers at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia performed computed tomography (CT)-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) in 54 patients who had long-term parosmia (impaired sense of smell that can lead to a distaste for once-like foods and drinks). The average patient age was 46 years, and 74% were women.
Previous treatments unsuccessful
The stellate ganglia, part of the autonomic nervous system, are nerves located on the sides of the neck that deliver signals to the head, neck, arms, and parts of the upper chest.
SGB takes less than 10 minutes and doesn’t require sedation or intravenous pain management. The procedure has been used with different degrees of success to treat conditions such as cluster headaches, phantom limb pain, Raynaud’s and Meniere’s syndromes, chest pain, and abnormal heart rhythms.
“While promising treatments for anosmia [loss of smell] have evolved, parosmia is often refractory [not responsive] to pharmaceutical and topical therapies, leading to mood disorders, weight loss, and decreased quality of life,” the researchers wrote, adding that up to 60% of COVID-19 survivors have parosmia for months or years after infection.