Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Ethanol-Induced Cervical Sympathetic Ganglion Block Applications for Promoting Canine Inferior Alveolar Nerve Regeneration Using an Artificial Nerve
06:48

Ethanol-Induced Cervical Sympathetic Ganglion Block Applications for Promoting Canine Inferior Alveolar Nerve Regeneration Using an Artificial Nerve

Published on: November 30, 2018

8.9K

Stellate Ganglion Block for the Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Olfactory Dysfunction: A Prospective Pilot Study

Andrew M Peterson1, Brevin J Miller1, Dorina Kallogjeri1

  • 1Clinical Outcomes Research Office, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.

Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery : Official Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
|September 26, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) show promise for treating persistent COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction (OD). This pilot study found SGBs to be safe, with 55% of participants showing improved smell identification and 35% reporting better quality of life.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Otolaryngology
  • Infectious Disease

Background:

  • Persistent olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common sequela of COVID-19.
  • Current treatments for post-COVID-19 OD have limited efficacy.
  • Stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs) are an interventional treatment modality with potential applications in neurological and inflammatory conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and feasibility of SGBs for treating persistent COVID-19-induced OD.
  • To determine effect sizes for future randomized clinical trials.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective case series of adult participants with a history of COVID-19 and OD for at least 12 months.
  • Bilateral SGBs were administered, followed by a 1-month observation period.
  • Primary outcome: Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale. Secondary outcomes: University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and Olfactory Dysfunction Outcomes Rating (ODOR).

Main Results:

  • Twenty participants (mean age 46 years, mean OD duration 21 months) were enrolled.
  • At 1 month post-SGB, 50% reported subjective improvement in OD, 55% showed clinically meaningful improvement in UPSIT scores, and 35% improved in olfactory-specific quality of life (ODOR).
  • The median improvement in UPSIT scores (6 points) exceeded the minimal clinically important difference.

Conclusions:

  • Sequential SGBs appear to be a safe treatment for COVID-19-associated OD.
  • Modest improvements were observed in subjective olfaction, odor identification, and quality of life.
  • A placebo-controlled trial is recommended to confirm the efficacy of SGBs for this condition.
Keywords:
COVID-19anosmiahyposmiaolfactionstellate ganglion

More Related Videos

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders08:33

Olfactory Neurons Obtained through Nasal Biopsy Combined with Laser-Capture Microdissection: A Potential Approach to Study Treatment Response in Mental Disorders

Published on: December 4, 2014

9.8K
Isolating Nasal Olfactory Stem Cells from Rodents or Humans09:19

Isolating Nasal Olfactory Stem Cells from Rodents or Humans

Published on: August 22, 2011

30.8K

Related Concept Videos

Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Blockers01:28

Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Blockers

Ganglionic blockers inhibit autonomic activity by blocking nicotinic receptors in the autonomic ganglia, suppressing impulse transmission. These blockers lack selectivity between sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia and are ineffective as neuromuscular junction antagonists. They can be categorized into two groups:
1.1K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
9.3K
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
8.6K