Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality?
Lingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN Ⅸ) are at risk of injury during tonsillectomy due to their proximity to the muscle layer of the palatine tonsillar bed. However, it is unclear how often this common surgery leads to taste disturbances. We conducted a literature search using PubMed,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-03-01
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| Series: | World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095881118300180 |
| _version_ | 1818235043895574528 |
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| author | Liuba Soldatova Richard L. Doty |
| author_facet | Liuba Soldatova Richard L. Doty |
| author_sort | Liuba Soldatova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN Ⅸ) are at risk of injury during tonsillectomy due to their proximity to the muscle layer of the palatine tonsillar bed. However, it is unclear how often this common surgery leads to taste disturbances. We conducted a literature search using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PsychInfo, and Ovid Medline to evaluate the available literature on post-tonsillectomy taste disorders. Studies denoting self-reported dysfunction, as well as those employing quantitative testing, i.e., chemogustometry and electrogustometry, were identified. Case reports were excluded. Of the 8 original articles that met our inclusion criteria, only 5 employed quantitative taste tests. The highest prevalence of self-reported taste disturbances occurred two weeks after surgery (32%). Two studies reported post-operative chemical gustometry scores consistent with hypogeusia. However, in the two studies that compared pre- and post-tonsillectomy test scores, one found no difference and the other found a significant difference only for the left rear of the tongue 14 days post-op. In the two studies that employed electrogustometry, elevated post-operative thresholds were noted, although only one compared pre- and post-operative thresholds. This study found no significant differences. No study employed a normal control group to assess the influences of repeated testing on the sensory measures. Overall, this review indicates that studies on post-tonsillectomy taste disorders are limited and ambiguous. Future research employing appropriate control groups and taste testing procedures are needed to define the prevalence, duration, and nature of post-tonsillectomy taste disorders. Keywords: Tonsillectomy, Taste, Ageusia, Hypogeusia, Taste disturbances |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T11:47:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ad36de0c99145f38fa5da51d93151c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-8811 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T11:47:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ad36de0c99145f38fa5da51d93151c12022-12-22T00:25:25ZengWileyWorld Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery2095-88112018-03-01417783Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality?Liuba Soldatova0Richard L. Doty1Corresponding author.; Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USASmell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USALingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN Ⅸ) are at risk of injury during tonsillectomy due to their proximity to the muscle layer of the palatine tonsillar bed. However, it is unclear how often this common surgery leads to taste disturbances. We conducted a literature search using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PsychInfo, and Ovid Medline to evaluate the available literature on post-tonsillectomy taste disorders. Studies denoting self-reported dysfunction, as well as those employing quantitative testing, i.e., chemogustometry and electrogustometry, were identified. Case reports were excluded. Of the 8 original articles that met our inclusion criteria, only 5 employed quantitative taste tests. The highest prevalence of self-reported taste disturbances occurred two weeks after surgery (32%). Two studies reported post-operative chemical gustometry scores consistent with hypogeusia. However, in the two studies that compared pre- and post-tonsillectomy test scores, one found no difference and the other found a significant difference only for the left rear of the tongue 14 days post-op. In the two studies that employed electrogustometry, elevated post-operative thresholds were noted, although only one compared pre- and post-operative thresholds. This study found no significant differences. No study employed a normal control group to assess the influences of repeated testing on the sensory measures. Overall, this review indicates that studies on post-tonsillectomy taste disorders are limited and ambiguous. Future research employing appropriate control groups and taste testing procedures are needed to define the prevalence, duration, and nature of post-tonsillectomy taste disorders. Keywords: Tonsillectomy, Taste, Ageusia, Hypogeusia, Taste disturbanceshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095881118300180 |
| spellingShingle | Liuba Soldatova Richard L. Doty Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| title | Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? |
| title_full | Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? |
| title_fullStr | Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? |
| title_short | Post-tonsillectomy taste dysfunction: Myth or reality? |
| title_sort | post tonsillectomy taste dysfunction myth or reality |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095881118300180 |
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