Relationship between the bilateral removal of the middle nasal turbinate and the olfactory function in endoscopic skull base surgery

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES to determine the impact of endonasal endoscopic access to the skull base on the olfaction sense, involving the harvest of a nasoseptal flap, with the removal of the middle nasal turbinate. CASES AND METHODS A study was performed on a prospective cohort of 50 patients submitted to transnasal endoscopic surgery on the anterior skull base, with the harvest of a nasoseptal and reverse flap. The patients were divided into two groups: partial unilateral removal of the middle nasal turbinate and bilateral removal. The CCCRC tests were administered before surgery and in months 1, 3 and 6 following the surgery. RESULTS There was no difference in the olfactory sense, when comparing the partial removal of the middle nasal turbinate and the bilateral removal, as well as when comparing the side without the middle nasal turbinate and the side with this structure preserved. There is a worsening in the olfaction (p 0.05). CONCLUSION The bilateral removal of the middle nasal turbinate, in comparison with the unilateral resection, showed no impact on the olfactory function six months after the surgery. In both groups, there was a transitory decrease in the first month, but this normalized by the sixth postoperative month.