Study...a painless anesthetic that restores the sense of smell to those recovering from Corona

2023-12-17 2023-12-17T19:58:39Z

Weather of Arabia - A recent study showed that administering a painless anesthetic with a deep injection into the neck resulted in an improvement in symptoms of loss of sense of smell in those recovering from the Corona virus, as 6 out of 10 patients experienced improvement after one week of treatment.

Loss of the sense of smell or its effect is considered one of the distinctive symptoms of “long Covid” , which can last for several months or even years after infection, negatively affecting appetite and quality of life in general.

The results of a new study, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, show that the image-guided, minimally invasive procedure may be a promising way to restore the sense of smell in some people with long Covid , enhancing the chances of these patients living a normal life, according to... According to Dr. Adam Zuga, a professor at Jefferson Health, there is a subgroup of Corona patients who lose their sense of taste and experience nausea due to some smells, and an image-based procedure can clearly revive their senses.

A new study... restoring the sense of smell to those recovering from Covid

Dr. Adam Zuga and his team led a promising study based on the use of a painless anesthetic drug, as the trial included 54 patients who suffered severely from loss of sense of smell after infection with the Corona virus, and did not respond to traditional treatments.

Participants, who reported cases of parosmia (distortion of sense of smell) for at least six months after Covid infection, were directed to an ear, nose and throat expert, and patients received a combined injection of a painless anesthetic and steroid, known as a “stellate ganglion block,” into the stellate ganglion. In the neck, it is a group of nerves related to the sense of smell.

The needles are carefully guided using CT guidance, so the procedure is quickly realized without the need for general anesthesia. One week after the injection, approximately 60% of participants reported an improvement in symptoms, 80% reported gradual improvement over one month, and after three months, 49% saw an improvement in symptoms, with no complications or side effects recorded.

New technology offers hope for those recovering from Covid-19

Dr. Christine Smith, a rhinologist at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City, points out that Dr. Zuga and his team's study builds on previous research suggesting that injecting local anesthetics into the stellate ganglion may improve the sense of smell in people recovering from COVID-19, and recent research highlights the use of CT guidance. Computerized in this context rather than ultrasound, providing precise guidance without radiation exposure.

Despite the improved effectiveness and optimal guidance provided by tomographic guidance, the reason behind the success of the procedure remains unclear, according to Smith, and Smith is pinning her hopes on more research to explore the mechanisms behind this approach, considering it to be like a “ reset of the nervous system,” compared to turning a computer on and off.