Abstract
Objective
To asses temporal evolution of taste disorders after stapedotomy and its correlation with chorda tympani nerve (CTN) preservation.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile between 2002 and 2007. Medical records of 141 patients with otosclerosis subject to stapedotomy were analyzed in search for CTN preservation or section during stapedotomy. A survey was applied to evaluate postoperative taste function and its evolution on time. Fisher's test was applied.
Results
CTN was preserved in 131 patients (93%) and sectioned in 10 patients (7%). The incidence of taste disorder was 7% (10 patients) in the CTN preservation group and 20% (2 patients) in the sectioned group (p> 0.05). All patients had full recovery of taste function before 12 months after surgery, being faster in the CTN preservation group than the sectioned group (6 months vs. 12 months respectively). Patients with section of CTN have an odds ratio of 3 compared with CTN preservation patients.
Conclusions
Taste disorders are present in patients subjected to stapedotomy even when CTN is preserved, with full recovery 12 months after surgery.
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