American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine

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Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation

Received: 14 August 2015    Accepted: 06 September 2015    Published: 14 October 2015
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Abstract

Objectives: The chemical senses and their normal functioning constitute a necessity for a good quality of life as the gustatory system influence to a large extent food selection and affect nutrition. Altered taste perception seems to be more frequent than previously thought. Fortunately, most of prospective studies show that it remains a transient phenomenon with total recovery after several weeks. Background: It is well known that tonsillectomy is the most commonly performed operation in the otolaryngologicalfield. Although tonsillectomy is regarded as a safe surgery, it still has the risk of per- and postoperative complications. However, taste disturbance is an unusual complication with few reports on it. Patients and methods: This study was carried on 100 patients (60 females and 40 males).planned to do bilateral tonsillectomy, they was between 10 to 49 years of age. Chemogustometry was done one day prior to operation to assure intact and efficient taste sensation. Then one, seven, fifteen and thirteen days respectively post operative as follow up in abnormal findings. Four tastants with two concentrations for each were used: quininsulfate or caffeine (0.075%; 0.2%)=>for bitter taste, glucose (2%; 10%)=>for sweet taste, citric acid (0.5%; 7.5%) =>for sour taste, sodium chloride (0.5%; 2.5%)=>for salt taste One drops of each tastant was presented to the four regions of the tongue in two concentrations using plastic disposable sterile pipette. The patients were asked to verify the taste as identified on a list presented to them. Results: Bitter taste was the most affected followed by salt then sweet and sour less affected on using low concentration while on using high concentration, Bitter taste was the most affected followed by the sweet then the salt and the sour is less affected. Anterior and posterior parts of tongue was equaly affected, with more affection of LT side posteriorly but no side preference anteriorly. Improvement was more rapid and obvious in anterior part of tongue than posterior part. Conclusion: Taste dysfunction may follow tonsillectomy operation (this appeared in 29% of cases of this study) and it's transient. Affection is slightly more on posterior part of tongue than anterior part. The most affected taste was bitter then sweet, salt and sour respectively.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18
Published in American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 5, September 2015)
Page(s) 241-246
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Dysgeusia, Tonsillectomy, Chemogustometry

References
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[2] Vories AA: Dysgeusia associated with tonsillectomy. Head Neck Surg1999; 121:303–4.
[3] Goins MR and Pitovski DZ: Post tonsillectomy taste distortion: a significant complication. Laryngoscope2004; 114:120.
[4] Tomita H and Ohtsuka K: Taste disturbance after tonsillectomy. ActaOtolaryngol2002; 546:164–72.
[5] Windfuhr JP, Schlo Endorff G, Sesterhenn A M, Kremer B: From the expert’s office: localized neural lesions following tonsillectomy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol2009; 266:1621.
[6] Tomofuji S, Sakagami M, KushidaK, Terada T, Mori H, Kakibuchi M: Taste disturbance after tonsillectomy and laryngo microsurgery. Auris Nasus Larynx2005; 32:381-6.
[7] Spielman AI: Chemosensory function and dysfunction. Crit Rev Oral Biol1998: 9:267–91.
[8] Deems DA, Doty RL, Settle RG, Gillon V M, Shaman P, Mester A F, Kimmelman C P, Brightman V J, Snow J B: Smell and taste disorders, a study of 750 patients from the University of Pennsylvania Smell and Taste Center. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1991; 117:519–28.
[9] Scinska A, Jodkowska A, Korkosz A, Kukwa W, Sienkiewicz J H: Post-tonsillectomy dysgeusia with weight loss: possible involvement of soft palate. J LaryngolOtol2008; 122:5.
[10] Seiden A. Mand Brescia A. I.: The Anatomy and Physiology of Olfaction and Gustation, in Rhinology and Facial Plastic Surgery2009; 91-96.
[11] Kveton J. F. and Bartoshuk L. M.: The effect of unilateral chorda tympani damage on taste. Laryngoscope1994; 104: 25-9.
[12] Klimacka-Nawrot E and Suchecka W: Methods of taste sensitivity examination. WiadLek2008; 61:207-10.
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[16] Windfuhr JP, Sack F, Sesterhenn AM, Landis BN, Chen YS: Post-tonsillectomy taste disorders. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol2010; 267: 289-293.
[17] Stathas T, Mallis A, Naxakis S, Mastronikolis N S, Gkiogkis G, Xenoudakis D, Armenakis N S, Goumas PD.: Taste function evaluation after tonsillectomy: a prospective study of 60 patients. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol2010; 267: 1403-1407.
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Author Information
  • Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

  • Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

  • Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

  • Department of Otolaryngology, Shebin Elkom Teaching Hospital, Menoufia, Egypt

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    Abd El-Hay Rashad AlAsy, Ayman El-Said Abd Elaziz, Heba Abd Elrheem AboEl-Naga, Mohammed Mostafa Abed. (2015). Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation. American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 3(5), 241-246. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18

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    Abd El-Hay Rashad AlAsy; Ayman El-Said Abd Elaziz; Heba Abd Elrheem AboEl-Naga; Mohammed Mostafa Abed. Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation. Am. J. Clin. Exp. Med. 2015, 3(5), 241-246. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18

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    AMA Style

    Abd El-Hay Rashad AlAsy, Ayman El-Said Abd Elaziz, Heba Abd Elrheem AboEl-Naga, Mohammed Mostafa Abed. Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation. Am J Clin Exp Med. 2015;3(5):241-246. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18,
      author = {Abd El-Hay Rashad AlAsy and Ayman El-Said Abd Elaziz and Heba Abd Elrheem AboEl-Naga and Mohammed Mostafa Abed},
      title = {Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation},
      journal = {American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {5},
      pages = {241-246},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajcem.20150305.18},
      abstract = {Objectives: The chemical senses and their normal functioning constitute a necessity for a good quality of life as the gustatory system influence to a large extent food selection and affect nutrition. Altered taste perception seems to be more frequent than previously thought. Fortunately, most of prospective studies show that it remains a transient phenomenon with total recovery after several weeks. Background: It is well known that tonsillectomy is the most commonly performed operation in the otolaryngologicalfield. Although tonsillectomy is regarded as a safe surgery, it still has the risk of per- and postoperative complications. However, taste disturbance is an unusual complication with few reports on it. Patients and methods: This study was carried on 100 patients (60 females and 40 males).planned to do bilateral tonsillectomy, they was between 10 to 49 years of age. Chemogustometry was done one day prior to operation to assure intact and efficient taste sensation. Then one, seven, fifteen and thirteen days respectively post operative as follow up in abnormal findings. Four tastants with two concentrations for each were used: quininsulfate or caffeine (0.075%; 0.2%)=>for bitter taste, glucose (2%; 10%)=>for sweet taste, citric acid (0.5%; 7.5%) =>for sour taste, sodium chloride (0.5%; 2.5%)=>for salt taste One drops of each tastant was presented to the four regions of the tongue in two concentrations using plastic disposable sterile pipette. The patients were asked to verify the taste as identified on a list presented to them. Results: Bitter taste was the most affected followed by salt then sweet and sour less affected on using low concentration while on using high concentration, Bitter taste was the most affected followed by the sweet then the salt and the sour is less affected. Anterior and posterior parts of tongue was equaly affected, with more affection of LT side posteriorly but no side preference anteriorly. Improvement was more rapid and obvious in anterior part of tongue than posterior part. Conclusion: Taste dysfunction may follow tonsillectomy operation (this appeared in 29% of cases of this study) and it's transient. Affection is slightly more on posterior part of tongue than anterior part. The most affected taste was bitter then sweet, salt and sour respectively.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Assessment of Taste Sensation After Tonsillectomy Operation
    AU  - Abd El-Hay Rashad AlAsy
    AU  - Ayman El-Said Abd Elaziz
    AU  - Heba Abd Elrheem AboEl-Naga
    AU  - Mohammed Mostafa Abed
    Y1  - 2015/10/14
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18
    T2  - American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
    JF  - American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
    JO  - American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
    SP  - 241
    EP  - 246
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8133
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20150305.18
    AB  - Objectives: The chemical senses and their normal functioning constitute a necessity for a good quality of life as the gustatory system influence to a large extent food selection and affect nutrition. Altered taste perception seems to be more frequent than previously thought. Fortunately, most of prospective studies show that it remains a transient phenomenon with total recovery after several weeks. Background: It is well known that tonsillectomy is the most commonly performed operation in the otolaryngologicalfield. Although tonsillectomy is regarded as a safe surgery, it still has the risk of per- and postoperative complications. However, taste disturbance is an unusual complication with few reports on it. Patients and methods: This study was carried on 100 patients (60 females and 40 males).planned to do bilateral tonsillectomy, they was between 10 to 49 years of age. Chemogustometry was done one day prior to operation to assure intact and efficient taste sensation. Then one, seven, fifteen and thirteen days respectively post operative as follow up in abnormal findings. Four tastants with two concentrations for each were used: quininsulfate or caffeine (0.075%; 0.2%)=>for bitter taste, glucose (2%; 10%)=>for sweet taste, citric acid (0.5%; 7.5%) =>for sour taste, sodium chloride (0.5%; 2.5%)=>for salt taste One drops of each tastant was presented to the four regions of the tongue in two concentrations using plastic disposable sterile pipette. The patients were asked to verify the taste as identified on a list presented to them. Results: Bitter taste was the most affected followed by salt then sweet and sour less affected on using low concentration while on using high concentration, Bitter taste was the most affected followed by the sweet then the salt and the sour is less affected. Anterior and posterior parts of tongue was equaly affected, with more affection of LT side posteriorly but no side preference anteriorly. Improvement was more rapid and obvious in anterior part of tongue than posterior part. Conclusion: Taste dysfunction may follow tonsillectomy operation (this appeared in 29% of cases of this study) and it's transient. Affection is slightly more on posterior part of tongue than anterior part. The most affected taste was bitter then sweet, salt and sour respectively.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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