Background :
Tonsillectomy is a relatively safe procedure when performed by experienced surgeons, but it may be associated with certain complications. Taste distortion (dysgeusia) is a rare postoperative complication reported by some patients after surgery.
Methods :
This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing medical records from the Department of ENT, Bangladesh Medical College, Dhaka. A total of 607 patients were included, covering the period from 2012 to 2022. All methods of tonsillectomy were considered.
Results :
Taste distortion was observed in 1.15% of cases following cold steel tonsillectomy and 0.5% following diathermy coagulation tonsillectomy. No cases were reported in patients treated with laser or coblation techniques.
Conclusion :
No dissection beyond the lower pole of the tonsil is recommended to minimize the risk of taste distortion.