Background: The aim of the present study was to determine possible changes in olfactory threshold after functional and esthetic nasal operations and to evaluate whether these changes were recognized by the patients.
Methods: The study included 41 patients before and after nasal surgery (septoplasty, septorhinoplasty). Nasal airway resistance, olfactory thresholds, and subjective symptom scores were evaluated and compared pre- and postoperatively. The mean follow-up was 5.4 months. Olfactory performance was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks.
Results and conclusions: The postoperative values in the screening test for olfactory sensitivity were not significantly different from those before nasal surgery. Nasal ventilation was improved postoperatively in all patients, assessed by determination of nasal airway resistance and subjective symptom scores. Besides an increase in nasal ventilation, functional and esthetic nasal operations can lead to improvement of olfactory function. The rarely seen postoperative increase in olfactory threshold does not seem to be subjectively recognizable by the patients.