New research suggests that persistent alterations in taste seldom occur after surgery to remove the tonsils, or tonsillectomy. A few case reports have suggested that taste disturbances can occur after the procedure, possibly due to nerve damage, but few studies have attempted to determine the actual frequency of this problem
Lead author Dr Christian Mueller, from Medical University of Vienna, and colleagues assessed taste function before and after tonsillectomy in a study involving 65 patients ranging in age from 15 to 68 years.
Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter taste abilities were tested on all areas of the tongue prior to surgery, the report indicates. 32 of the patients could be re-tested following surgery and 33 were not, although they were interviewed by telephone.
Although the patients reported a significant subjective drop in taste function following surgery, taste testing revealed no objective differences. Moreover, on the follow-up interview, none of the patients reported ongoing taste disturbance.
The results provide reassurance that tonsillectomy rarely has a lasting detrimental impact on taste function, Mueller and his associates conclude.