Change in olfactory function after septoplasty. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Rhinology
• Olfactory research

Background:

• Septoplasty is a common surgical procedure.
• The impact of septoplasty on olfactory function remains a subject of investigation.
• This study systematically reviews evidence on septoplasty's effect on smell.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of septoplasty on olfactory function.
• To synthesize existing evidence on smell changes after septoplasty.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and The Cochrane Library (1990-2020).
• Inclusion of 14 studies (12 from database search, 2 manual additions) involving 996 patients and 25 controls.
• Meta-analysis of studies providing data on olfactory changes post-septoplasty.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in olfactory test scores were observed across all evaluated metrics.
• Mean improvements included: 0.63 (BSIT), 0.80 (CCCRC test), 1.16 (odor threshold), 1.43 (odor discrimination), and 1.18 (odor identification).

Conclusions:

• Septoplasty demonstrates a positive effect on improving olfactory function.
• Observed improvements are patient-specific, indicating variability in outcomes.
• Further randomized controlled trials are recommended to validate these findings.