Taste Disorders After Middle Ear Surgery: Chorda Tympani Nerve Injury and Quality of Life

To evaluate taste disorders after middle ear surgery, their modifying factors especially chorda tympani nerve injury or underlying otologic disease. We investigated consequences of taste disorders on quality of life.

Prospective cohort study.

Monocentric study in tertiary care center.

A total of 214 patients who underwent middle ear surgery were included. Data regarding taste disorders were collected by questionnaires over a 1-year follow-up period.

Taste disorders were reported in 42.7% at 10 days, in 23.3% at 4 months, and in 9.2% 1 year postoperatively. When the chorda tympani nerve was initially healthy, taste disorders were more frequent after its transection throughout the follow-up period. When it was involved in a cholesteatoma or inflammatory process, postoperative taste disorders were more frequent after nerve stretching. Postoperative discomfort in daily life was rated on the Likert scale at 3.5 out of 10. Dietary modifications were reported by 25.8% of patients, and mood alterations by 15% of patients.

Taste disorders are frequent after middle ear surgery although they mostly improve in the first months. When the CTN is healthy, cutting it leads to more taste disorders than stretching it, thus advocating its preservation to prevent these symptoms. However, in cases of pathological CTN, cutting this nerve, which is sometimes necessary to control the disease, is less likely to cause taste disorders than stretching it. These taste disorders are a source of discomfort and may present risks of dietary modifications and emotional impact.