[A study on the mechanism of phleboid olfactory function].

Phleboid olfactory test has wide clinical application for olfactory disturbance. Many unclarified aspects still remain concerning the mechanism of smell after an intravenous infusion of Alinamin. It is believed that when Alinamin is infused intravenously and byproducts are discharged from the blood into the alveoli, odorous substances reach the nasal cavity through exhalation. In order to clarify the mechanism of smell in more detail, we conducted the following experiments: 1) Cases of laryngectomy were examined to determine if intravenous infusion of Alinamin affected the olfactory organ. 2) Saliva specimens in healthy subjects were collected before and after intravenous infusion of Alinamin and examined for the presence of a secreted odorous substance using a functional test. 3) Healthy subjects who were inhibited in their sense of smell were examined for the presence of garlic odor after intravenous infusion of Alinamin. The results were as follows: 1) 80% of subjects of laryngectomy without cotton in the nares and 20% of subjects of laryngectomy with cotton in the nares perceived the garlic odor. 2) Garlic odorous substance was not recognized in saliva specimens collected before and after intravenous infusion of Alinamin. 3) The healthy subjects inhibited in their sense of smell and intravenously infused with Alinamin perceived the odor at the same time as exhalation. The above results indicated that the mechanism of smell after intravenous infusion of Alinamin occurred via exhalation, but not through the other routes.