Chemosensory Dysfunction and Recovery in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery

Chemosensory Dysfunction and Recovery in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery

The investigators hypothesize that patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery experience clinically meaningful and modifiable disruptions in postoperative chemosensory function and quality of life, and the investigators further hypothesize that olfactory training in the postoperative period may significantly hasten normalization of patients' chemosensory perturbations. This tailored prospective study seeks to fulfill a significant gap in the understanding of the characteristics, implications, and treatment options for postoperative olfactory and gustatory impairment following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• English Speaking
• preoperative diagnosis of benign sellar or parasellar skull base pathology

Exclusion Criteria:

• preoperative diagnosis of malignant sellar or parasellar skull base pathology
• history of endoscopic sinus surgery
• history of skull base surgery
• history of radiation therapy or other local treatments for the management of facial, sinonasal, or cranial pathologies
• history of chronic rhinosinusitis
• history of neurocognitive disorder
• history of intrinsic chemosensory pathology
• history of cardiac pacemaker
• history of gastrectomy