Empty nose syndrome, or ENS, describes a nose that has lost part of its interior structure because of the excessive surgical removal of the turbinates. The turbinates are small scrolled structures that normally serve to clean and hydrate air passing through the nose. They may become inflamed, blocking the air passage. A surgical procedure known as turbinectomy may trim down their size to reduce symptoms, through removal of too much of their structure causes empty nose syndrome. The term Empty Nose Syndrome refers to the fact that the patient's CT scan looks empty due to the loss of normal tissue.
ENS leads to chronic nasal dryness, inflammation, and pain. The nasal mucosa near the turbinates dries out and becomes atrophied. Empty nose syndrome can also cause a constant feeling of suffocation. The nerve endings in the nasal mucosa may no longer be responsive because they have become too dry, leading to a loss of the sensation of air flowing through the nose. This feeling can have a substantial impact on the patient's quality of life, causing difficulty concentrating, preoccupation with symptoms, depression, and anxiety.
Empty nose syndrome may be diagnosed soon after the turbinate reduction surgery, or many years later. On examination, the nasal cavity appears to have too much space, due to the lack of turbinates. The symptoms may be treated with nasal sprays, gels, and irrigations, but the condition appears to only be reversible through reconstruction of the turbinates inside the nose. This may be accomplished with a variety of implant materials. This approach is still not commonly performed, through study results have shown some promise.
