Empty Nose Syndrome - entity and knowledges

Abstract

Introduction. Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) is a complication of nasal surgery, an iatrogenic disease, where the nasal turbinates (especially the inferior turbinates) was damaged as a result of turbinate surgery which destroys the normalAim of the study. The knowledge and information about this syndrome is necessary to pay special attention during nose surgery and awareness of the diagnosis of ENS for its prevention. Materials and methods.. ENS symptomatology was evaluated using SNOT 20 or 22 (Sino- Nasal Outcome Test). Then SNOT-25 was used to evaluate symptomatology of ENS. New ENS6Q (Empty Nose Syndrome 6 Question-naire) was also used for evaluation. ENSIA proposed a modified fifty-five SNOT test (55) to evaluate ENS symptoms. This proposed SNOT-55 is based on SNOT-25 by adding thirty new articles. Results. Empty nose syndrome affects a small number of the population. The incidence is not known, as there is no specific research in this area. The absence of incidence studies is directly related to the lack of awareness of ENS among health professionals. This resulted in the absence of diagnostic criteria and the omission of an ENS diagnosis in the patient records. ENS appears as a result of turbine surgery and may occur within a few months. Every turbinate procedure can cause ENS if it performed too aggressively. Some turbine interventions increase the probability by ENS, for example partial or total resection of the lower nasal turbines or cauterization of the mucosal surface. At the moment, ENS can be diagnosed in the clinical setting and the diagnosis is able to be further supported by diagnostic tools available outside the clinical setting. The conservative management of the ENS is based on irrigation and hydration of the nose to maintain the remaining mucosa and should be performed to extend as best as possible the life of the patient. Permanent nose care is burdensome and time consuming. Conclusions. The quality of life is significantly reduced in patients with ENS. ENS has an impact on employment, physical health, social and financial aspects of the patient's life. While nasal reconstruction operations and treatments with regenerative drugs can lead to symptom improvement, it is important to remember that turbine tissue cannot be replaced or recovered and there is no cure for ENS. nasal physiology.