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The need for excessive dietary sodium chloride following tympanoplasty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Hannu Lauerma*
Affiliation:
University Central HospitalTurku.
Päivi Paalassalo
Affiliation:
Eura Health Centre, Eura, Finland.
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Hannu Lauerma, Psychiatric Clinic. Kunnallissairaalantie 20, SF-20700 Turku. Finland. Fax: 358-21 -2692528
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Abstract

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Loss of a single nerve function in the peripheral network responsible for taste perception is traditionally considered clinically insignificant. However, we report the case of a 27-year-old woman who experienced significant selective taste loss for salt after manipulation of the chorda tympani during tympanoplasty. This effect may be explained by disorder of the functional neuroanatomy of salty taste perception together with strong lateralization of mastication to the affected side in this patient. Recently described inhibition of cranial nerve IX by cranial nerve VII is hypothesized as contributing to the contradiction between this case and the commonly accepted role of the chorda tympani in taste perception.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1995

References

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