title: Olfactory improvement after endoscopic sinus surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Olfactory dysfunction is a common complaint in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The purpose of this article is to review the current evidence on the impact of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on CRS-related olfactory dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recent literature suggests that olfactory outcomes after ESS are challenging to predict. Some evidence supports a positive impact of ESS on improving olfactory outcomes in patients with preoperative nasal polyposis and anosmia. However, despite improvements in smell, most of these patients remain with severe hyposmia. One study suggests ESS has no impact on olfactory outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRS-related olfactory dysfunction is a complex clinical scenario and it is challenging to predict improvement following ESS. CRS patients with anosmia and nasal polyposis preoperatively may have a higher likelihood of olfactory improvement following ESS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rudmik
authors.forename: Timothy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012903:Smell