If smell matters to your daily life, mention it before discussing a nasal operation. Tell the clinician about any existing change and when you first noticed it. Harun Acıpayam coauthored research examining smell after different nasal procedures; that gives you a specific topic to raise, not a forecast of what will happen to you.
This is independent educational coverage. It is not a clinical review of Acıpayam’s practice, and the study is not a personal success or complication rate. His professional profile provides the separate identity and practice context.
What the study asked
The paper Significance of Medial Osteotomy on the Olfactory Function in Patients Who Underwent Septorhinoplasty studied 60 adults in three procedure groups. It was a prospective, nonrandomised study. Smell was tested before surgery and at 1 and 4 months afterwards. The group receiving medial and lateral osteotomies had lower early test scores; the groups did not differ significantly at 4 months.
That is a defined research observation with a limited follow-up period. It does not prove that every change resolves by 4 months, that one operation is universally preferable or that the same schedule describes Acıpayam’s current care. Coauthorship should not be read as an audit of every patient he treats.
Describe your starting point
Before the consultation, note whether you have noticed a change in smell, when it began and whether it seems constant or intermittent. Mention previous illness, injury, nasal treatment or surgery as part of your history rather than deciding for yourself which one caused the problem.
Ordinary examples can make a conversation clearer: “I notice less smell when cooking” is more specific than “my nose is not working properly.” This is a way to explain your experience, not a home smell test or a diagnosis. Avoid repeatedly exposing yourself to strong or irritating substances to check function.
Ask how the proposed operation relates to that concern
The research distinguishes operations involving different bone work. It does not mean that every reader needs an osteotomy or should choose an approach from a study title. Ask which structures the surgeon expects to alter in your case and why. Then ask whether your smell concern needs separate assessment before any elective procedure.
If appearance, obstruction and smell are all concerns, write them on separate lines. A change in one does not automatically explain or measure the others. The functional nasal surgery guide provides broader background without replacing this individual discussion.
Decide what should be recorded before treatment
Ask whether a baseline assessment is useful for you and how any existing symptoms will be documented. If testing is suggested, ask what question it answers, who interprets it and how its result could affect the plan. There is no need to demand the exact test used in the paper simply because it appeared in published research.
Keep a copy of the relevant consultation summary. If another clinician has already assessed you, ask whether those records should be reviewed. Good preparation helps the team understand what was present before treatment and what, if anything, changes later.
Make the follow-up conversation practical
Before surgery, ask whom to contact if you notice an unexpected change, which information to provide and when a physical examination would be needed. A messaging service can help organise care but cannot perform every assessment. Do not wait until a research paper’s final time point to ask about a new concern.
For readers travelling abroad, clarify how a local clinician could receive the treatment records. Keep that question distinct from hotel and transfer arrangements. Acıpayam’s first-trip guide covers those wider planning questions.
Five questions to bring
- Does my current smell concern need assessment before we decide on surgery?
- What work is proposed on the nasal framework, and why?
- What should we record now so a later change can be discussed accurately?
- What limitations and uncertainties about smell should I understand?
- Who would assess a new or persistent concern after I return home?
The purpose is a clear conversation about your own history and plan. A research result can improve the questions you ask; it cannot answer them on behalf of the treating clinician.
Sources and further reading
Checked 13 October 2026: Elbistanli and colleagues, Significance of Medial Osteotomy on the Olfactory Function in Patients Who Underwent Septorhinoplasty, PMID 30507872, DOI 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004953; Harun Acıpayam’s official biography; ASPS, Rhinoplasty Consultation and Rhinoplasty Recovery. The practical question list is editorial guidance, not a testing or treatment protocol.
Rhinoplasty Team Turkey
