It was established by Professor Havas in 1988 upon his return from North America. He undertook post graduate training in Rhinology and sophisticated Nasal Function Testing at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and at the Gage Upper Airway Research Institute, with Professor Phillip Cole.
As part of the Sydney Nose Clinic, a satellite clinic was established at Sydney Children's Hospital where it functioned from 1988 until 2006. The clinic has a vast experience in testing adults and children for a wide range of nasal conditions including;
- blocked nose
- runny nose
- loss of smell or taste
- allergic rhinitis
- sinusitis
- rhinogenic headache
- objective assessment of nasal airflow pre
- and post surgery
- objective assessment of nasal function for medico-legal cases
- nasal cytology testing in cases of allergy
- nasal lavage for bacteriology
- and/or fungal studies
The clinic has been used as a benchmark in many Australian Rhinopharmacology trials and has provided the scientific basis for numerous publications.
Tests Offered:
Every patient at the clinic undergoes a full ENT examination;
- Nasal airflow study via thermistography first before and after nasal decongestion
- Flexible Fiberoptic Rhinolaryngoscopy is performed after topical anaesthesia and mucosal vasoconstriction.
- Computerised active Rhinomanometry is performed to assessed nasal airflow.
- Smell testing is undertaken using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Tests or the Sensonic Vapour Smell Identification Tests.
- Nasal lavage is undertaken for nasal cytology, bacteriology and/or fungal identification.
- Mucocilial clearance studies.
These intranasal investigations are of course complemented when appropriate, by skin prick testing or blood RAST studies.
Immunotherapy, whether sublingual or intradermal, is arranged as appropriate.
Intranasal Antigen Challenge Testing can be performed as appropriate.
Referral to the Laboratory is appropriate for assessment of the efficacy of topical or systemic Rhinopharmacology.
