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Intranasal trigeminal function in patients with empty nose syndrome
Author(s) -
Konstantinidis Iordanis,
Tsakiropoulou Evangelia,
Chatziavramidis Angelos,
Ikonomidis Christos,
Markou Konstantinos
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.26491
Subject(s) - medicine , rhinomanometry , trigeminal nerve , prospective cohort study , nose , turbinectomy , lateralization of brain function , anesthesia , sensation , surgery , audiology , neuroscience , biology
Objectives/Hypothesis Trigeminal nerve mediates the perception of nasal airflow. This study examines whether impaired intranasal trigeminal function is a part of the paradoxical nasal obstruction sensation in patients with empty nose syndrome (ENS). Study Design Prospective case‐control study in a tertiary hospital. Methods Three groups were examined: 1) ENS patients with previous bilateral near total inferior turbinectomy, 2) patients who underwent near total inferior turbinate removal (ITR) without ENS symptoms, and 3) control participants. All participants examined with active anterior rhinomanometry, olfactory testing (extended Sniffin' Sticks test), and trigeminal testing (lateralization task using menthol and odorless solvent). Results Seventy‐one participants were included (21 ENS patients, 18 ITR patients, and 31 controls). Analyses revealed that ENS patients had significantly lower scores on trigeminal lateralization testing than the ITR group and controls. The ENS group had also significantly lower scores in olfactory testing than controls. No statistical differences were found in rhinomanometry between groups. The gender factor was not associated with the chemosensory testing; however, this was not the case with the age factor, as trigeminal test results were negatively correlated. Conclusions This study demonstrates significantly impaired intranasal trigeminal function in ENS patients when compared with ITR patients and controls. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of preoperative trigeminal function of these patients and the contribution of surgery to this impairment. Level of Evidence 3b. Laryngoscope , 127:1263–1267, 2017