Analysis for olfactory epithelium using olfactory marker protein on endoscopically harvested middle turbinates

The middle turbinate is thought to play a key role in olfaction, and many surgeons have cautioned against removal of the middle turbinate during endoscopic sinus surgery. We reviewed 110 patients having 198 partial middle turbinate resections and found that only one patient complained of postoperative anosmia (0.9%). To further investigate the presence of olfactory tissue on the middle turbinate, 36 sections from 12 endoscopically resected turbinate specimens were stained for olfactory tissue, using olfactory marker protein (OMP). Cadaveric olfactory cleft specimens served as positive controls. Neither olfactory epithelium nor olfactory receptor cells were identified in the surgical specimens. The clinical rarity of anosmia suggests that partial resections must not adversely affect airflow to the olfactory cleft. The histologic data suggest that conservative partial turbinate resections should not affect olfaction directly, either because olfactory tissue is not removed by this maneuver, or because the amount of olfactory tissue in this segment is minimal.