title: Assessment the long-term effects of septoplasty surgery on olfactory function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aimed to evaluate pre-operatively and post-operatively the olfactory function of patients who had undergone surgery in our clinic for chronic nasal blockage via the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) smell test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients (24 females, 13 males) were enrolled in this study. All had undergone surgery in our clinic due to chronic nasal blockage (not for smell dysfunction), having been diagnosed with septal deviation in conjunction with concha bullosa and/or inferior turbinate hypertrophy. This is a prospective study without a control group. The mean age was 33.74 ± 8.98 (range =19-54). All of the operations were performed under general anesthesia. CCCRC smell tests were performed on every patient before the operation and at post-operative 1st week, 6th week, 6th month, and 1st year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we found that septoplasty, in conjunction with middle concha surgery and/or inferior concha radiofrequency, did not affect the olfactory function negatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although nasal surgery has the potential to affect the smell function negatively, it was found that olfactory function was not affected after the surgery during a considerably long follow-up period. Moreover, an improvement in smell function was detected at post-operative 6th month and 1st year.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery , Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilicaslan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery , Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gul Ozbilen
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery , Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery , Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman Ilkay
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Ozdamar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D059747:Nasal Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012903:Smell; D014420:Turbinates / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Smell test; concha bullosa; inferior concha; septum deviation