Olfactory Sequelae of Nasal Surgeries: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Rhinology
• Olfactory Neuroscience

Background:

• Septoplasty, turbinoplasty, and septorhinoplasty are frequently performed nasal surgeries.
• The impact of these procedures on the olfactory system, crucial for quality of life, is not well-documented.
• Objective assessment of olfactory sequelae following nasal surgery is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the olfactory outcomes of common nasal surgeries.
• To quantify the incidence of surgery-induced hyposmia (reduced sense of smell).
• To evaluate the effect of these surgeries on pre-existing olfactory dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 7780 articles published since 1990.
• Included studies focused on adult patients undergoing septoplasty, septorhinoplasty, or inferior turbinoplasty.
• Extracted data included olfactory assessment results and prevalence of preoperative and postoperative hyposmia.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 102 studies involving 16,072 patients.
• Surgery-induced hyposmia was observed in 2.7% of cases across all surgical types.
• Nasal surgeries demonstrated a significant postoperative improvement in hyposmia scores and a reduction in the number of patients with hyposmia (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• Nasal surgeries, while often improving olfactory function, can lead to new-onset hyposmia in a notable percentage of patients.
• No significant differences in olfactory outcomes were found between the specific surgical subgroups analyzed.
• Emphasizes the necessity for objective olfactory assessments in studies evaluating nasal surgeries.