Smell Preservation after SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery: A Favorable Result

Background: Previous studies have clearly documented the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and olfactory dysfunction (OD). However, little is known about the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on postoperative olfactory function after endoscopy skull base surgery (ESBS). This study aims to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the postoperative olfactory function in patients who underwent ESBS for a pituitary tumor.

Methods: A retrospective case–control study of patients who underwent ESBS from 2020 to 2022. A total of 59 patients met inclusion criteria. All patients completed a preoperative and 12-week postoperative assessment of olfactory function using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT). Patients were stratified into two groups according to their SARS-CoV-2 status: patients with history of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 17), and those with no documented history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 42). A nonparametric analysis was completed.

Results: No significant change in mean UPSIT score was noted between the preoperative and 12-week postoperative UPSIT scores among the overall cohort (p = 0.719). No difference between preoperative and postoperative UPSIT scores was observed in those with a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.07, p = 0.60). 17.6% of patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection reported loss or reduction in smell at the time of infection and the average rate of infection was 3.44 months (IQ: 1–4.75 months) before ESBS.

Conclusion: History of SARS-CoV-2 infection is not associated with olfactory dysfunction after ESBS. Patients with a history of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection did not have worse pre and postoperative scores compared to those that were never infected.

Publication History

Article published online:
05 February 2024