A Collaboration to Re-engage a Patient’s sense of smell
Helping patients through product design.
Patients can have part of their throat surgically removed for a range of reasons, primarily cancer. This procedure is a laryngectomy and connects an opening in the neck to the windpipe to redirect a patient’s breathing. This means that the patient no longer breathes through their nose or mouth, and their sense of smell isn’t engaged.
A water manometer is a device that allows a person to practice moving airflow through their nasal passage, activating their sense of smell.
A clinician who provides rehabilitation in our ear, nose and throat service came to Ara Manawa about a patient in this situation. The patient was a chef who had had a laryngectomy and was looking to re-engage their sense of smell, both for their general quality of life and their profession. Our colleague contacted Ara Manawa for help making a water manometer to support this patient. A water manometer is a device that allows a person to practice moving airflow through their nasal passage, activating their sense of smell.
Water Manometer
Ara Manawa hadn’t made a device like this before but knew that there was swallowing and breathing device expertise in Canterbury. Reaching out to our colleagues in Te Tītoki Mataora and Christchurch Hospital we found water manometer know-how in Prof. Mark Jeremy from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury. Within two weeks of our request he was able to provide us with a water manometer and a YouTube video on how to use it! In addition, with the knowledge of our ear, nose and throat clinician Ara Manawa created a simple instruction brochure called the ‘polite yawn’ to accompany the device.
‘The Polite Yawning Technique’ from the Polite Yawn instruction brochure
Ara Manawa look forward to delivering more solutions for our clinicians and patients through the collaboration enabled by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and Te Akai Whai Ora Māori Health Authority, and partners like those at Te Tītoki Mataora.
September 2022
THANKS
Ashleigh Kennedy, Product Designer
Jenna Hagan, Visual Designer
Professor Mark Jermy, University of Canterbury
AUTHOR
Justin Kennedy-Good, Director, Ara Manawa
CONTRIBUTORS
Professor Maggie Lee Huckabee, University of Canterbury
Diana Siew, Te Titoki Mataora