Analysis of Taste Disturbances Following Middle Ear Surgery

Middle ear surgery is a common ear surgery. During this surgery, the chorda tympani nerve which carries taste sensation from the anterior two third of the tongue, is encountered. The nerve is likely to sustain injury, ranging from being stretched to being cut. Though the nerve is injured, most of the patients following middle ear surgery do not complain of any taste disturbances. The only few, who are symptomatic, recover their taste sensation after a certain period of time. This study was carried out to assess the frequency of taste disturbance following middle ear surgery, their recovery with time and the reason explaining why post middle ear surgery the taste sensation is usually not altered inspite of the nerve being injured.