Unique Measurements of Intranasal Trigeminal Function: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery 2023-10, Vol.169 (4), p.1048-1054
• Main Authors: Durrant, Frederick G., Chen, Tiffany, Poupore, Nicolas S., Nguyen, Shaun A., Chapurin, Nikita, Schlosser, Rodney J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: intranasal; quantitative sensory testing; trigeminal
• ISSN: 0194-5998; 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1002/ohn.369

Objective To investigate novel methods of measuring intranasal trigeminal function and correlate to validated measures of trigeminal function. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary medical center. Methods Forty‐one subjects without nasal congestion were assessed. The trigeminal temperature function of the cool/warmth detection threshold and cold/heat pain threshold was measured with the Thermal Sensory Analyzer (TSA) device, as previously validated at buccal mucosa and infraorbital skin. Identical temperature sensory function was assessed at the anterior septum and inferior turbinate. Lateralization of trigeminal odorants eucalyptol, isothiocyanate, and acetic acid was conducted. Visual analog scales (VAS) of trigeminal function were collected. Results Extraoral cheek site and oral site thermal measures were moderately correlated, suggesting consistent assessment of trigeminal function. Nearly all intranasal thermal measures correlated between the septum and turbinate (significant correlations [ρ] ranged from .3 to .8). Oral and extraoral cheek sites had modest correlations to intranasal cold and heat pain (ρ = .4‐.5). The oral site had modest correlations of cold and heat detection to intranasal sites, with turbinate appearing to have the most correlations. Isothiocyanate lateralization was the most closely correlated to intranasal thermal scores for cold and heat pain. Turbinate thermal measures had weak correlations with trigeminal VAS scores (ρ = .3‐.4). Conclusion Intranasal trigeminal measures of thermal function correlate to validated extraoral and intraoral thermal measures. The turbinate appears to have stronger correlations to the septum than found in the mouth and face. TSA testing might provide a rapid, novel method of intranasal trigeminal function assessment.