Chemical, Electrical and Tactile Sensitivity Changes After Middle Ear Surgery

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Objective/Hypothesis: Taste disturbances are often seen in patients after middle ear surgery due to the stress received by an unprotected chorda tympani. It has also been reported that loss in tactile sensitivity may accompany this issue. The current study was designed to measure electrical, chemical, and tactile sensitives of several senses involved in oral processing, smell, taste and touch, over time. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: For three time points, one before middle ear surgery and two after operation (about 5 and 23 days), sensitivity thresholds were obtained using electrogustometry (electrical taste), taste strips (chemical taste), Sniffin’ Sticks (smell) and Von Frey Hairs (point-pressure tactile sensitivity). Results: The results show a decline in both chemical and electrical taste responses. Additionally, the electrical taste response showed more sensitivity to deviations and no sign of recovery unlike the chemical taste response. Mechanosensory function of the anterior tongue and olfactory function was not strongly affected by middle ear surgery. Conclusion: Taste responses, but not mechanosensory or olfaction function, are altered after middle ear surgery. Due to the effects that taste loss has on quality of life, gustometry is recommended for this group of patients. Levels of Evidence: 4.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)572-577
Number of pages6
JournalAnnals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology
Volume129
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 31965810
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/151982960

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • electrogustometry, impairment, middle ear surgery, sensitivity, taste