Olfactory function testing before and after anesthesia

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This study aimed to determine whether anesthesia would affect olfactory function. Patients who were admitted for surgical intervention that did not include the nasal cavity and paranasal


sinuses were included in this prospective cohort study. Structured medical history was taken from the patients, including the following: age, sex, smoking history, alcohol intake, current


medications, and sleep deficits prior to surgery. Before surgery, patients were asked for a self-rating of their olfactory function. Olfactory function was also measured using Sniffin’


Sticks comprising measures of odor threshold, discrimination, and identification. The mean interval between olfactory tests was 6 days (range 3–12 days). Seventy-three patients were included


in the study, 34 men and 39 women. Olfactory scores were consistent before and after surgery as indicated by correlative analyses (p