Conditions: Empty Nose Syndrome

What is Empty Nose Syndrome?

Empty Nose Syndrome is a perplexing and irritating condition that affects some individuals who have undergone nasal turbinate surgery. It is characterized by a sense of being unable to breathe through the affected side(s) of the nose, despite having an open airway. This paradox of feeling unable to breathe despite an open airway is the source of some discussion in the field, though it may be that when the turbinates, especially the inferior turbinate, has been removed, the ability for the nose to sense air flow past the turbinates is lost.

Anatomy

The nasal vault contains various structures important for the sense of smell, such as the olfactory epithelium and the turbinates, which serve to warm, humidify, filter, and sense incoming air.

How is empty nose syndrome prevented?

Given the controversy regarding this condition and its cause, prevention is somewhat illusory. To mimize this risk, I perform conservative reduction of the inferior turbinates whenever possible, removing only the front (anterior) and lower (inferior) segment as standard practice.