Younger patients have a higher rate of recovery of taste function after middle ear surgery

Background: Although the chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is frequently damaged d uring tympanoplasty, little attention has been given to the patients' sympt oms and taste function. Objective: To investigate patients' symptoms and the functional recovery of taste after surgery using electrogustometry (EGM). Design: Prospective study. Patients: Analysis of 163 ears of 156 patients who underwent middle ear sur gery from April 1997 through December 1999. There were 18 ears with noninfl ammatory diseases, 80 with chronic otitis media, and 65 with cholesteatoma. The patients' taste functions were examined 2 days before surgery and 2 we eks and 6 months after surgery. Main Outcome Measures: The taste disturbance before and after middle ear su rgery and the relationship between age and the recovery rate of CTN functio n. Results: Two weeks after surgery, the mean EGM threshold was elevated in al l groups regardless of preservation or section of the CTN. Numbness in the tongue and taste disturbance were more frequently found in patients with pr eservation of CTN than in those with section of the CTN (P =.008 and P =.00 1, respectively). In patients with preservation of the CTN, 6 months after surgery, the recovery rate of EGM threshold was 83% in those aged 20 years or younger (P =.008 compared with the 2 older groups), 53% in the those age d 21 to 40 years, and 44% in those aged 41 to 60 years. Conclusion: Age is an important factor for recovery of taste function after middle ear surgery, which is useful information when explaining complicati ons to patients.