The Effectiveness of Functional Septorhinoplasty in Improving COVID-19-related Olfactory Dysfunction

Abstract

Long-Term COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction (C19OD) remains a significant challenge with no established treatment providing meaningful improvement. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of functional septorhinoplasty (fSRP) in improving olfactory dysfunction in patients with persistent C19OD compared to a control group undergoing olfactory training (OT). In this prospective study patients with persistent C19OD undergoing fSRP were enrolled while those declining surgery continued with OT as the control group. Patients were followed for six months with olfactory function assessed using Sniffin' Sticks (S'S) and nasal airflow evaluated through peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) and acoustic rhinometry (AR). Among the participants 12 underwent fSRP while 13 were in the control group. Significant improvements (p < 0.05) in all S'S scores were observed in the fSRP group but not in the control group. TDI scores improved above the minimal clinically important difference only in the fSRP group. Strong correlations were found between olfactory scores and nasal measurements. Comparison of olfactory threshold gains between groups revealed a statistically significant benefit in the fSRP group. These findings suggest that fSRP can significantly improve persistent C19OD providing a notable olfactory threshold gain compared to OT.