gms | German Medical Science

80th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

20.05. - 24.05.2009, Rostock

Neurovascular compression syndrome as a cause of severe parosmia: case report

Meeting Abstract

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  • corresponding author Simona Negoias - HNO – Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Dresden
  • Johannes Gerber - Neuroradiologie – Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Dresden
  • Thomas Hummel - HNO – Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Dresden

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. 80. Jahresversammlung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie. Rostock, 20.-24.05.2009. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2009. Doc09hnod393

doi: 10.3205/09hnod393, urn:nbn:de:0183-09hnod3938

Published: April 17, 2009

© 2009 Negoias et al.
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Outline

Text

Parosmia is a qualitative smell disorder of unclear etiology characterized by distorted smell sensations triggered by an odor. Posttraumatic and postviral olfactory loss are considered to be the main causes of parosmia, while a number of other neuropsychiatric or drug induced conditions have been described as rare etiological factors. Parosmia is consistently associated with various degrees of quality of life impairment, with food intake or psychiatric disorders described in severe cases. We hereby present a case of a 32 years old woman with severe parosmia apparently associated with a neurovascular compression syndrome involving the olfactory nerve and olfactory bulb and discuss the treatment options. We suggest that, similar to trigeminal neuralgia, vascular compression syndromes could represent a cause in cases of parosmia with unclear etiology. Attention should be focused on correctly diagnosing and finding appropriate treatment solutions in these cases.