Taste function after section of chorda tympani nerve in middle ear surgery

Nin, Tomomi; Sakagami, Masafumi; Sone-Okunaka, Mieko; Muto, Toshihiko; Mishiro, Yasuo; Fukazawa, Keijiro

doi:10.1016/j.anl.2005.07.015

Cited by 58 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Following CT damage, taste buds disappear from the denervated side of the tongue (Cheal and Oakley, 1977; Guagliardo and Hill, 2007) and a loss or distortion of taste can occur. Although the peripherally injured CT usually regenerates to reinnervate taste buds successfully within several weeks (Cheal and Oakley, 1977; Yasumatsu et al, 2007), persistent dysguesias (i.e., taste alterations) can persist for months or years (Nin et al, 2006) and may indicate alterations in CNS function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glial responses after chorda tympani nerve injury

Bartel

2012

J of Comparative Neurology

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The chorda tympani (CT) nerve innervates lingual taste buds and is susceptible to damage during dental and inner ear procedures. Interruption of the CT results in a disappearance of taste buds, which can be accompanied by taste disturbances. Because the CT usually regenerates to reinnervate taste buds successfully in a few weeks, a persistence of taste disturbances may indicate alterations in central nervous function. Peripheral injury to other sensory nerves leads to glial responses at central terminals, which actively contribute to abnormal sensations arising from nerve damage. Therefore, the current study examined microglial and astrocytic responses in the first central gustatory relay -the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS)- after transection of the CT. Damage to the CT resulted in significant microglial responses in terms of morphological reactivity and an increased density of microglial cells from 2-20 days after injury. This increased microglial population primarily resulted from microglial proliferation from 1.5-3 days, which was supplemented by microglial migration within sub-divisions of the nTS between days 2-3. Unlike other nerve injuries, CT injury did not result in recruitment of bone marrow-derived precursors. Astrocytes also reacted in the nTS with increased levels of GFAP by 3 days, although none showed evidence of cell division. GFAP levels remained increased at 30 days by which time microglial responses had resolved. These results show that nerve damage to the CT results in central glial responses, which may participate in long lasting taste alterations following CT lesion.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glial responses after chorda tympani nerve injury

Bartel

2012

J of Comparative Neurology

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“…5,6 Similar results concerning recovery of the gustatory function on EGM were reported by other investigators, although the number of subjects was small. 4,8 If a regenerated CTN terminates in the taste buds of fungiform papillae (FP), then the morphology of the FP must be maintained. In contrast, FP must be atrophied when the CTN does not regenerate after surgery.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphology of Human Fungiform Papillae after Severing Chorda Tympani Nerve

Saito¹,

Narita²,

Yamada³

et al. 2011

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol

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“…One study reported that the EGM threshold increased rapidly at two weeks after the CTN had been sectioned and did not return to the baseline level during the follow-up period. Thirty percent or fewer of the cases demonstrated partial recovery after two years [18]. Another report suggested that one to two years are needed until the patient's EGM threshold recovers and stabilizes [19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regeneration of the Nerves in the Aerial Cavity with an Artificial Nerve Conduit -Reconstruction of Chorda Tympani Nerve Gaps-

et al. 2014

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Objectives/HypothesisDue to its anatomical features, the chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is sometimes sacrificed during middle ear surgery, resulting in taste dysfunction. We examined the effect of placing an artificial nerve conduit, a polyglycolic acid (PGA)-collagen tube, across the gap in the section of the resected chorda tympani nerve (CTN) running through the tympanic cavity.MethodsThe CTN was reconstructed with a PGA-collagen tube in three patients with taste disturbance who underwent CTN resection. To evaluate the effect of the reconstruction procedure on the patients' gustatory function, we measured the patients' electrogustometry (EGM) thresholds. The patients were followed-up for at least two years.ResultsGustatory function was completely restored in all of the patients after the reconstruction. The patients' EGM thresholds exhibited early improvements within one to two weeks and had returned to their normal ranges within three months. They subsequently remained stable throughout the two-year follow-up period. In a patient who underwent a second surgical procedure, it was found that the PGA-collagen tube used in the first surgical procedure had been absorbed and replaced by new CTN fibers with blood vessels on their surfaces.ConclusionThese results suggest that reconstruction of the CTN with an artificial nerve conduit, a PGA-collagen tube, allows functional and morphological regeneration of the nerve and facilitates the recovery of taste function. PGA-collagen tubes might be useful for repairing CTNs that are resected during middle ear surgery. Further research is required to confirm these preliminary results although this is the first report to describe the successful regeneration of a nerve running through an aerial space.

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Taste function after section of chorda tympani nerve in middle ear surgery

Cited by 58 publications

References 15 publications

Glial responses after chorda tympani nerve injury

Glial responses after chorda tympani nerve injury

Morphology of Human Fungiform Papillae after Severing Chorda Tympani Nerve

Regeneration of the Nerves in the Aerial Cavity with an Artificial Nerve Conduit -Reconstruction of Chorda Tympani Nerve Gaps-

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