Changes of olfaction due to aesthetic and functional nose surgery.

The author describes abnormalities of the olfactory function following functional and aesthetic surgery of the nose. The abnormalities were temporary and lasted only a few weeks. In seven cases (two patients after septoplasties and five after septorhinoplasties) the author found permanent anosmia (in one case he found the steroid dependent anosmia). The swelling of the nasal mucous membrane in olfactory region is the reason for temporary abnormalities of the smell function. The reason for permanent anosmia after nose surgery remains unknown.