Restoring the Sense of Smell in Long-COVID Patients: A Promising Breakthrough

Are you a long-COVID patient struggling with the loss of your sense of smell? There may be hope on the horizon. A new minimally invasive treatment using CT-guided stellate ganglion block is showing promising results in restoring the sense of smell in patients with parosmia. In this article, we’ll explore the latest research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and delve into the potential breakthrough in treating this COVID-19-related condition. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Parosmia

Learn about the condition of parosmia and its impact on long-COVID patients.

Parosmia is a condition where the sense of smell no longer works correctly, and it has become a known symptom of COVID-19. Research indicates that up to 60% of COVID-19 patients have experienced parosmia. While most patients recover their sense of smell over time, some long-COVID patients continue to suffer from this condition for months or even years after the infection.

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Parosmia can have a negative impact on a person’s appetite for food and overall quality of life. It can cause a distorted sense of smell and even lead to phantosmia, where people detect smells that aren’t present in their environment. The effects of parosmia can be frustrating and challenging to cope with.

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A Potential Breakthrough Treatment

Discover a minimally invasive treatment using CT-guided stellate ganglion block for long-COVID patients with parosmia.

To address the challenges faced by long-COVID patients with parosmia, researchers have explored the potential benefits of a minimally invasive treatment called CT-guided stellate ganglion block. This procedure involves injecting anesthetic directly into the stellate ganglion, a group of nerves in the neck that play a role in delivering signals to the head, neck, arms, and upper chest.

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The CT-guided stellate ganglion block procedure is quick, taking less than 10 minutes, and does not require sedation or intravenous analgesia. It has been used successfully in treating various conditions, including cluster headaches, phantom limb pain, and cardiac arrhythmia.

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Preliminary results from a study involving 54 patients have shown significant improvement in symptoms after the CT-guided stellate ganglion block. Some patients experienced near-complete resolution of their symptoms, including phantosmia, within just a few weeks. These promising outcomes suggest that this treatment could be a breakthrough for long-COVID patients with parosmia.

Study and Outcomes

Explore the findings of the study and the positive outcomes observed in long-COVID patients with parosmia.

The study involved 54 patients who had been experiencing post-COVID parosmia for at least six months, despite trying other pharmaceutical and topical therapies without success. The researchers used CT guidance to position a spinal needle for injecting the anesthetic into the stellate ganglion.

Follow-up was obtained for 37 patients, and the results were promising. At one week post-injection, 59% of the patients reported improved symptoms. By one month post-procedure, 82% of those patients experienced significant progressive improvement. Overall, there was a mean 49% improvement in symptoms among the 22 patients who were followed up at three months.

Furthermore, 86% of the patients who reported some improvement after the first injection experienced additional improvement after a second injection on the other side of their neck. No complications or adverse events were reported during the study.