A Case of Taste Distortion and Phantogeusia after Tonsillectomy / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Dysgeusia after tonsillectomy is a rare complication and there have been a few reports in the literature. The most possible cause of this complication is thought to be direct or indirect injury to the glossopharyngeal nerve or its lingual branch. Other suggested causes are lack of dietary zinc and habitual drug intake. We report a 51-year-old man, who presented severe parageusia and phantogeusia following tonsillectomy that was performed for chronic tonsillitis. The surgery was performed by electrocautery dissection without identifiable injury to the glossopharyngeal nerve. Dysgeusia developed 3 weeks after the operation and he complained loss of appetite and significant weight loss. He did not take any drug habitually that could affect his sense of taste. His serum zinc level (48 microgram/dl, normal range 61-121 microgram/dl) was decreased. We prescribed a mineral supplement containing vitamin B complex and therapeutic dose of zinc. Eight months after the operation, his taste function was not recovered and he still retained problems related to diet. This case indicates that a patient should be informed of the risk of postoperative taste disturbance after tonsillectomy as being one of the rare complications.