Kinetics of olfactory function following endonasal sinus surgery for nasal polyposis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Rhinology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Nasal polyposis significantly impairs olfactory function.
• Sinus surgery is a common treatment for nasal polyposis.
• The temporal dynamics of olfactory function post-surgery require detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the kinetics of olfactory function improvement after endonasal sinus surgery in patients with nasal polyposis.
• To assess the recovery pattern of olfactory function over a six-month period.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-two adult patients with nasal polyposis underwent endonasal sinus surgery.
• Olfactory function was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks (threshold, discrimination, identification - TDI score).
• Testing occurred pre-surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Olfactory function, measured by TDI score, initially dropped 1 week post-surgery.
• Significant improvements were observed at 1, 3, and 6 months post-surgery (p < 0.0005).
• At 6 months, 43.1% of patients had normalized olfactory function, but 21.6% remained anosmic.

Conclusions:

• Endonasal sinus surgery effectively improves severely impaired olfactory function in nasal polyposis patients.
• A transient decline in olfactory function is followed by a steady, significant recovery up to 6 months post-surgery.
• Factors like systemic steroids or specific surgical techniques did not significantly alter olfactory function kinetics.