LOR pulciņa dalībnieces Aleksandras Borovikas ZPD "TASTE DISORDERS AFTER TONSILLECTOMY". Prezentēts RSU ISC 2016. Darba vadītāja Dr.Gunta Sumeraga.

1. 1
Taste disorders after tonsillectomy
Author: Aleksandra Borovika, Riga Stradins University
Scientific research supervisor: Dr. Gunta Sumeraga, Pauls Stradins Clinical
University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Riga Stradins
University, Department of Surgery
16.03.2016., Rīga

2. 2
 Sense of taste allow us to perceive different flavors from
substances that we consume as food and drink.[1]
Introduction1
http://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/what-
eating-too-much-sugar-does-to-your-brain
http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/chlo
rhexidine-mouthwash-mint/prd-gid
http://nutritionovereasy.c
om/2016/01/could-
cutting-back-on-salt-
lead-to-thyroid-
problems/
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-
benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-
lemon.html

3. 3
 Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in
otolaryngology.
Introduction2
https://sites.google.com/site/dra
nhtruong/bellevue-tonsillitis http://www.drugs.com/mcd/tonsillitis

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 Taste disorder is an unusual complication of tonsillectomy and in
most cases transient.
 Possible cause of it is direct or indirect damage to the
glossopharyngeal nerve or its lingual branch during the
procedure.
»The damage depends on anatomical localization of the nerve. [2]
Introduction3

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 Types of taste disturbances:
»Ageusia- complete taste loss
»Dysgeusia- distorted taste perception
»Hypogeusia- reduced ability to taste
»Phantogeusia- gustatory hallucination [3]
Introduction4

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 Taste disorders
» difficulties in detection of spoiled food or beverages
» difficulties in detection presence of food to which person have an allergy
» depression and a reduced desire to eat [4]
» weight loss and malnutrition
» harm to the immune system and worsening of other medical conditions [5]
Introduction5
https://melanomanewstoday.com/2015/03/06/researchers-discover-pathway-responsible-for-taste-
loss-in-skin-cancer-patients-under-chemotherapy-treatment/

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 To prove that some patients who had undergone
tonsillectomy in Pauls Stradins Clinical University
Hospital’s Otolaryngology clinic can experience
transient taste disorders during two weeks after the
surgery.
Aim

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 A prospective study was conducted, involving patients who had
undergone tonsillectomy and healthy people who had not
undergone tonsillectomy as a control group.
1. An anonymous survey in pre-operative period
2. An anonymous survey in second post-operative day
3. Taste test
» chlorhexidine (0.025%; 0.05%), glucose (2%; 10%), citric
acid (0.5%; 7.5%) and sodium chloride (0.5%; 2.5%)
4. An anonymous telephone survey at third week after operation
Materials and Methods

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Results
 55,9% (n=19) male
 44.1% (n=15)
female
 the average age:
38 (SD 12,4)
 40% (n=14) male
 60% (n=21) female
 the average age:
29,8 (SD 15,2)
49,3% (n=34)
experimental group
50,7% (n=35)
control group
69 participants

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Taste test results: taste disorders
32.4% (11 of 34) 8.6% (3 of 35)

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Results: taste disorders at 3rd post- operative week
11,8% (4 of 34)
Reported subjective
taste disorders at 3rd
post- operative week

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Survey results: subjective evaluation of sense of taste
Reported taste
disorders before
tonsillectomy
 Experimental
group:
» 4.3% (1 of 23) no
taste disorders
» 45.5% (5 of 11)
taste disorders
» 50% (2 of 4)
taste disorders at
3rd post-op.
week
Reported taste
disorders before
taste test
 Experimental
group:
» 17,4% (4 of 23)
no taste
disorders
» 45.5 (5 of 11)
taste disorders
» 75% (3 of 4)
taste disorders at
3rd post-op.
week
 Control group:
» 3.1% (1 of 32) no
taste disorders
» 0% (0 of 3) taste
disorders
before tonsillectomy after tonsillectomy

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Survey results: subjective evaluation of sense of smell
Reported smell
disorders before
tonsillectomy
 Experimental
group:
» 8.7% (2 of 23) no
taste disorders
» 18.2% (2 of 11)
taste disorders
» 25% (1 of 4)
taste disorders at
3rd post-op.
week
Reported smell
disorders before
taste test
 Experimental
group:
» 13.0% (3 of 23)
no taste
disorders
» 18.2% (2 of 11)
taste disorders
» 25% (1 of 4)
taste disorders at
3rd post-op.
week
 Control group:
» 6.3% (2 of 32) no
taste disorders
» 0% (0 of 3)
before tonsillectomy after tonsillectomy

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Results: evaluation of sense of smell at 3rd week after
operation
No one had smell disorder

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Factors that did not reveal significant difference
between respondents with and without taste disorders
 Upper respiratory tract infections (running nose, sore throat etc.) over the past two
months
 Smoking
 Sinusitis over the past two months
 Head or facial trauma/ surgery (middle ear surgery, oral or dental surgery etc.) over the
past six months
 Medications (antibiotics, antidepressants, hypotensive drugs etc.) on a long-term basis
 Chronic diseases (diabetes, renal or hepatic failure, HIV, cancer etc.)
 Poor oral hygiene
 Oral infection or inflammation (gingivitis, oral abscess, oral candidasis etc.) over the past
three months
 Poisoning with any chemical agent recently
 Poor nutrition

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 Some patients who undergo tonsillectomy in Pauls Stradins Clinical
University Hospital’s Otolaryngology clinic can experience transient
taste disorders during two weeks after operation.
 It is necessary to take into account that methods of study are based on
patient’s subjective perceptions of his taste (annonymous survey, taste
test with chemical solutions).
 It is necessary to continue the study in order to get more accurate
statistical results. If it is possible, use more objective method, e.g. taste
test with more graded chemical solutions.
Conclusions

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 [1]https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/sensation-and-
perception-5/sensory-processes-38/gustation-taste-buds-and-taste-163-12698/
 [2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12816225
 [3] http://www.aafp.org/afp/2013/1215/p852.html
 [4] http://www.masseyeandear.org/for-patients/patient-guide/patient-education/diseases-and-
conditions/smell-and-taste-disorders/taste-disorders
 [5] https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/Encyclopedia/Content.aspx?ContentTypeID=85&ContentID=P00466
 Taste test: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19701761
 Image sources: http://www.how-to-draw-cartoons-online.com/cartoon-house.html and
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/311874342924270709/
Information sources

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Thank you for attention!
Special thanks to Dr. Sabīne Atte1 for help in finding patients for
experimental group
1
Riga Stradins University, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Department of
Otorhinolaryngology