Therapeutic pulsed ultrasound resolved the olfactory dysfunction.

Therapeutic pulsed ultrasound significantly improved the sino-nasal symptoms.

Therapeutic pulsed ultrasound had 1-month benefits.

and purpose. Olfactory dysfunction is a common symptom of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of therapeutic pulsed ultrasound (PUS) on olfactory dysfunction in patients with CRS.

Patients with CRS underwent treatment with PUS for 10 sessions, three days a week. The outcome measures were the Smell Identification Test (SIT) and 20-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20).

Fifteen patients (9 male, mean age 48.9 ± 9.7 years) with disease duration of 55.13 ± 65.4 months participated. Analyses showed olfactory dysfunction was completely resolved (Cohen's d = 5.62). The SNOT-20 scores showed significant improvement of CRS symptoms after treatment (Cohen's d = 1.55). Effects remained at one-month follow-up.

Therapeutic PUS improved the olfactory dysfunction and sino-nasal symptoms in patients with CRS. The PUS can be considered as a promising strategy to target chronic rhinosinusitis.

Chronic rhinosinusitis

Olfactory dysfunction

Physiotherapy

Pulsed ultrasound

© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.