Successful treatment of dysgeusia after middle-ear surgery with amitriptyline: Case report

IntroductionThe chorda tympani branches off of the facial nerve within the petrous portion of the temporal bone, and is responsible for controlling the taste in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue on each side. Due to its location, it is commonly injured during middle-ear surgery resulting in dysgeusia.MethodA case of a 59-year-old male had recurrent otitis media resulting in tympanic membrane perforation. Patient subsequently underwent lateral graft tympanoplasty. Shortly after surgery patient reported onset of dysgeusia consisting of metallic taste at the tip of the tongue and salty taste on the left side of the tongue.ResultsTreatment with Amitriptyline 50 mg each night significantly improved the patient’s symptoms of dysgeusia.ConclusionsAmitriptyline may be an effective treatment for dysgeusia occurring after middle-ear surgery.