交通災害と嗅覚障害

ANOSMIA DUE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

　Ⅰ．緒言

　最近の交通事故の激増にともない，耳鼻咽喉科医も頭部外傷後遺症患者を取り扱う機会が多くなつた。わが科領域の交通災害に関する報告は，多くが難聴，耳鳴，眩暈に関するものであり，嗅覚障害に関するものは少ない。

　また嗅覚障害は他の聴覚あるいは視覚障害などとはいささか異なり，その障害を患者自身も主治医も気づくことなく放置されており，ときには数カ月を経てはじめて偶然の動機でもつて気づき，ために補償問題で後日紛糾の原因となることもあるようである。

　Cetering upon the disturbance of osmic sense, 87 cases of head injury caused by traffic accidents are investigated.

　Osmic sense disturbance was recognized in 11 cases (13%).

　The loss was apparently high in degree. Nine cases showed respiratory loss and among which in 7 the loss appeared to be complete even by a intravenous route test. Among those who showed loss by respiratory route yet preservation by that of the intravenous, the duration of the sense of smell was highly foreshortened.

　In 2 cases the loss of osmic sense appeared to play an important role in the psychic disturbance of the patient which was manifested as an aftereffect of the accident.

　The prognosis in bilateral loss of osmic sense was highly disappointing in that recovery, natural or by means of drugs, almost never took place.