[Disorders of olfactory function in penetrating head injuries sustained during war]

Olfactory function was estimated in the group of 37 patients with the penetrating war head injury. In 4 (10.8%) patients mutual anosmia was found. In comparison to healthy volunteers the injured showed worse performance on the level of the tested olfactory parameters. In 9 (24.3%) patients the offered smells were sensed as very unpleasant. The subgroup of patients from Glasgow Coma Scale (GSC) < or = 8 showed the highest degree of olfactive disfunction. The patients with complicated penetrating head injury were less successful at the level of all olfactive qualities comparing to those without injury complications. The localization of the focal penetrating wound, regardless of the kind of a weapon causing the brain injury, was not significantly correlated with the results of olfactometry in distinction from hemisphere lateralization of the lesion. The recovery of the retested was minimal.