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Gustatory function in chronic otitis media (mucosal type) before and after tympanoplasty

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Letter to the Editor to this article was published on 04 April 2017

Abstract

Chronic inflammation in the middle ear may result in functional impairment of the chorda tympani nerve, which carries taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. This may lead to impaired taste sensation. Timely intervention and adequate disease clearance may help the chorda tympani nerve to recover. Gustatory function of 107 patients who underwent Tympanoplasty for Chronic otitis media (mucosal type) was evaluated in a cohort of Indian patients. To compare the preoperative and postoperative gustatory function in these patients taste scores were documented preoperatively, and at 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively, in an effort to document taste function improvement after disease clearance. The taste scores thus obtained were recorded and analyzed. A significant improvement in taste threshold postoperatively in comparison to the preoperative taste scores (p = 0.001) was found. It was observed that age of the patient and duration of illness have a significant impact on the recovery of taste function. Our study suggests that taste perception improves over a period of time after successful tympanoplasty in patients with chronic otitis media (mucosal type).

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Mohan Krishna D V (MBBS, MSc), for his valuable help in preparing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Sri Devraj Urs Medical College, Tamaka, Kolar, 563101, Karnataka, India

    Anjali Krishna, S. Vinaya Babu & S. M. Azeem Mohiyuddin

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India

    Khaja Naseeruddin

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  1. Anjali Krishna
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  2. S. Vinaya Babu
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  3. S. M. Azeem Mohiyuddin
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Correspondence to Anjali Krishna.

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Krishna, A., Babu, S.V., Mohiyuddin, S.M.A. et al. Gustatory function in chronic otitis media (mucosal type) before and after tympanoplasty. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 95–99 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4211-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4211-2

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