[Impact of Microsurgical Exstirpation of Vestibular Schwannomas on the Sense of Taste]

Patients with single sided vestibular schwannoma may report about a taste dysfunction apart from the well known cardinal symptoms. Very few data are published so far on that topic. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of microsurgery for vestibular schwannomas on taste perception prospectively using a well validated taste test. 25 patients could be included in the study. No ageusia was claimed by the patients. In average a decrease of the taste score postoperatively could be detected on the tumor as well as on the non treated side. The differences were not statistically significant. But a subgroup of ¼ of the subjects revealed a new onset of side difference in the taste score that was not present before surgery. In all those cases the treated side showed a clinically significant reduced taste score of 6,2 in average. Within this subgroup the temporal access was overpresented in contrast to the whole group. This may indicate an influence of the choosen approach and that for the position of the tumor to the change of the taste score. The observations should be verified on a greater collective.