Do I have Hollow Nose Syndrome?

Empty nose syndrome is an over used term and many patients may have treatable conditions emulating this syndrome. This almost exclusively comes about after loss of turbinates as a result of surgery or infection. You did not mention whether you had a turbinectomy or not. A CT scan will be very helpful. In the absence of other reason and with the confirmed diagnosis of empty nose syndrome with CT, fat injection to your remaining turbinates could be helpful. However, the need for this would be very unlikely. I recommend that you consult your surgeon. Otherwise one of us can order the CT for you.

Hi Veronica. Sorry to hear about your troubles. A couple of things could be going on. Sometimes when people have problems with their sinuses, particularly narrowing of the passages to the frontal sinuses, they can feel very congested even when they are able to move air through their noses. This wouldn't necessarily be something that your docs could see on exam- you'd need a sinus CT to confirm. That can be managed with an in-office procedure. Empty Nose Syndrome (what you're calling Hollow Nose Syndrome) can be a tough problem. We all have structures called turbinates that come off of the sides of our nasal passages. Their job is to humidify and filter the air that we breathe. If they are removed in surgery, the air can go too quickly through the nasal passages, causing chronic drying, inflammation, and a feeling of inability to breathe. It is manageable though. Another thing that comes to mind is a syndrome where your body attacks its own glands that make tears, saliva, and mucous. That would cause chronic dryness and irritation in your nose. It may be time to visit with a rhinologist (specialist for the inside of the nose). I want to emphasize for you that treatments exist for all of these things. Good luck!

Dear Veronica mx,

Revision rhinoplasty can result in inflammatory changes and
wound healing progression internally that can take many weeks, if not months,
to resolve. My best advice is to
continue on an ongoing basis to seek the care and attention of your operative
rhinoplasty surgeon, as they are in the best position to know what was
performed at the time of surgery and what to expect during the healing
process.There are various nonsurgical
lubricants, sprays and medications.
Usually a nasal spray and inhalations can be used to minimize
inflammation and keep your mucous membranes moist until normal mucous membrane
function can be restored. Most of these
internal nasal symptoms will resolve with time.
Patience and continued vigilance together with your operative
rhinoplasty surgeon is advised.

I trust this information has been of some
assistance. For more information, please
review the link below.Sincerely,

R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville, Toronto