Microscopic studies of human olfactory epithelia following traumatic anosmia

Abstract

We devised our own instrument for obtaining biopsy specimens of human olfactory epithelium. We obtained specimens from two patients with anosmia caused by head trauma. The morphological changes in the olfactory epithelia were studied by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. With little damage or early stage of changes, the characteristic finding involved degeneration of the olfactory vesicles, especially with the disappearance of cilia. In the case of great damage and the final stage of injury, no olfactory vesicles were found at the epithelial surface and the olfactory epithelia presented a disorganized cellular arrangement of cells with an atrophic appearance. Our findings indicate that the epithelial degeneration occurring in traumatic olfactory dysfunction varies according to the degree of damage incurred and the time lapse present from injury.