title: Gustatory function after radiofrequency tongue base reduction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the changes in gustatory function as a complication after radiofrequency tongue base reduction (RTBR) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Before-and-after study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four patients with suspected velopharyngeal collapse only underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP group). Twenty-five patients with velopharyngeal and retrolingual collapse underwent concurrent UPPP with RTBR (RTBR group). All patients were evaluated before surgery and at 1 and 4 weeks after surgical treatment. A questionnaire was given to assess symptoms of hypogeusia, dysgeusia, hyposmia, and sensation of the tongue. Electrogustometry (EGM) in 4 areas was used to determine gustatory function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative values for subjective symptoms did not significantly change following surgical treatment in either group. EGM thresholds of all tested in both groups did not significantly change 1 week and 4 weeks after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gustatory function remained unchanged after RTBR in patients with OSA. The authors suggest that RTBR is a safe procedure in terms of taste sensation in OSA patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Gyu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Eun
authors.forename: Seung Youp
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jae Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Myung Gu
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kun Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc