Post-tonsillectomy taste disorders

Abstract

Gustatory dysfunction is an uncommon complication following tonsillectomy with a potential impact on the quality of life. This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of post-tonsillectomy dysgeusia and its relationship to wound healing and pain. A retrospective chart review of 100 patients who had undergone tonsillectomy between June and December 2008 at a single tertiary care institution was performed. Clinical examination included evaluation of the patient's history and psychophysical testing with cottons soaked with chininsulfate (0.075%; 0.2%), glucose (2%; 10%), citric acid (0.5%; 7.5%) and sodium chloride (0.5%; 2.5%) before, as well as 4 days to 3 months following tonsillectomy at a tertiary care hospital. Anatomical peculiarities, intubation problems, operation time, methods to achieve hemostasis were extracted from the charts. Healing was scored by the physician and pain was scored by the patient. Subjective taste dysfunction was registered in 29 patients 4 days after surgery. In all patients this dysgeusia regressed within weeks. Measured taste function showed lateralized and transient changes. No investigated factor such as pain, operating time, anatomical particularities, wound healing or haemostatic technique were associated with the occurrence of dysgeusia. Transient taste perception changes seem to be relatively frequent after tonsillectomy. Although our results indicate no correlation of even transiently altered taste perception and any of the investigated parameters, this further confirms the clinical impression that gustatory symptoms can occur even after uneventful tonsillectomy. Informed consent should include post-tonsillectomy gustatory dysfunction.