The ability of the nasal airflow-inducing maneuver to restore sense of smell in laryngectomy patients: a before-and- after study

Purpose: Total laryngectomy (TL) leads to olfactory dysfunction due to disconnection of the upper and lower airways. This study assessed the efficacy of the nasal airflow-inducing maneuver (NAIM) in restoring sense of smell in TL patients. Materials and Methods: A two-center before-and-after study was conducted with 19 TL patients. Olfactory testing was evaluated subjectively with a visual analogue scale and objectively with the butanol threshold test and the Sniffin’ Sticks identification test. The tests were performed before (pre-NAIM) and one month after learning the NAIM (post-NAIM). Results: 84.2% of patients managed to recover sense of smell with significant improvements from baseline being observed in all olfactory tests (p < 0.001) post-NAIM. Conclusions: NAIM is a simple, effective technique for olfactory rehabilitation after TL. It should be integrated into standard postoperative care to enhance quality of life in such patients.