Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effect of partial turbinectomy on the olfactory function of isolated, symptomatic bilateral concha bullosa patients by using Sniffin’ Sticks test.

METHODS: A total of 15 patients (3 males, 12 females; mean age 30.0±8.1 years; range 18 to 46 years) were performed bilateral partial (lateral) turbinectomy due to isolated, symptomatic bilateral concha bullosa at the Department of Ear Nose Throat and Head Neck Surgery in Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul between September 2012 and February 2013. A three-step Sniffin’ Sticks test was performed before the operation and two months after the operation. The preoperative and postoperative values of odor detection threshold, discrimination value, identification value and the sum of these three values (total score) were determined and the preoperative and postoperative values of each patient were compared amongst themselves. In addition, the patients were asked to grade their sense of smell as decreased, normal, or increased before and two months after the operation. All the data collected before and after the operation were compared for each patient.

RESULTS: The average scores of the smell test parameters increased after the operation. The mean threshold and mean identification scores were increased but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.238 and p=0.413, respectively). The mean discrimination and mean total scores were statistically significant increased after the treatment (p=0.005 and p=0.007, respectively). We observed a positive change between the pre- and postoperation grades of sense of smell.

CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that bilateral partial turbinectomy has a positive effect on the olfactory functions of patients with symptomatic concha bullosa cases, and we recommend additional studies with larger patient population and longer follow-up periods in this area.