A widow’s account of severe symptoms after septoplasty and turbinate reduction, an eventual Empty Nose Syndrome diagnosis, profound sleep deprivation, and a devastating outcome.
What happened after the nasal surgery?
According to the account, the husband underwent a septoplasty together with turbinate reduction at the beginning of a summer. His wife wrote that he had not understood beforehand that turbinate reduction would be performed and that it had not been discussed during the pre-operative consultation.
Before surgery, she described him as happy and healthy. After the procedure, however, she said he immediately felt that something was wrong. The most prominent early problem was extreme sleep disruption: he reportedly could not sleep for more than a few minutes at a time, even when using prescribed sleeping medication.
This distinction matters. A septoplasty is intended to correct the nasal septum, while turbinate reduction changes tissue that helps regulate airflow, humidification, warming and sensory perception inside the nose. Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) is most often discussed in relation to turbinate surgery, although its mechanisms and presentation can vary between patients.
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Immediate symptoms: severe sleep deprivation and loss of nasal sensation
The wife described sleep deprivation that became extraordinarily severe. She also wrote that the original surgeon would not take her husband’s calls, leading them to seek another ENT specialist at a large hospital.
According to her account, that specialist diagnosed Empty Nose Syndrome and attributed it to severe nerve damage. She reported a striking loss of sensation: her husband allegedly could not feel an endoscope inside his nose until it reached his throat.
Research into ENS has examined altered nasal aerodynamics, mucosal cooling and trigeminal sensory function as possible contributors. The condition is still an active area of research, and individual patients can present differently.
The Empty Nose Syndrome diagnosis
In later discussion, the widow wrote that two ENTs had acknowledged ENS: one reportedly gave a provisional diagnosis and another a more confident diagnosis. She contrasted this with other clinicians, including the original surgeon, whom she said claimed they had never heard of the condition.
That disagreement is part of a broader problem faced by some ENS patients. Diagnosis is not based on a single universal laboratory test. Clinical evaluation may include symptoms, surgical history, examination, the ENS6Q questionnaire, cotton testing, imaging and, in specialist or research settings, assessment of nasal airflow and sensory function.
A devastating outcome for the family
The widow reported that her husband eventually became unable to cope with his condition and later died. She described the consequences not only for herself but also for their one-year-old daughter.
It is important not to turn an individual account into proof of medical causation. The post documents the widow’s experience and her understanding of what happened. At the same time, severe sleep disturbance, breathing discomfort and psychological distress are important clinical concerns in patients who report major symptoms after nasal surgery.
Turbinate reduction and informed consent
One of the most important questions raised by the story concerns informed consent. The widow stated that her husband did not know turbinate reduction was going to be performed and that it was not mentioned during the pre-operative consultation.
This article cannot determine what consent process actually occurred in this case. More generally, patients considering nasal surgery can ask exactly which procedures are planned, how much turbinate tissue may be altered, which technique will be used, what alternatives exist, and which short- and long-term complications are recognized.
Medical malpractice questions after ENS
The widow asked the Reddit community whether anyone had successfully pursued legal action after developing ENS. Some commenters described such cases as difficult, particularly when the procedure was conservative rather than a total turbinectomy. Those comments are personal opinions and should not be treated as legal evidence or legal advice.
Whether a medical malpractice claim is viable depends on the jurisdiction, medical records, consent documentation, the procedure performed, expert evidence, causation and other case-specific facts. A patient or family seeking a legal assessment should obtain advice from a qualified lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Learn more about Empty Nose Syndrome
For readers who want to move beyond a single patient story, these related articles cover ENS research, physiology, patient experiences and the psychological burden reported after nasal surgery.
Frequently asked questions about Empty Nose Syndrome
What is Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS)?
Can Empty Nose Syndrome occur after turbinate reduction?
Can ENS occur after septoplasty?
Why can the nose feel blocked when it is physically open?
What are common symptoms reported with ENS?
How is Empty Nose Syndrome diagnosed?
What is the ENS6Q?
What is the cotton test for ENS?
Can ENS cause severe sleep problems?
Is there a cure for Empty Nose Syndrome?
Dedicated Empty Nose Syndrome information site
For a focused collection of information about Empty Nose Syndrome, nasal airflow, symptoms, research and emerging treatment concepts, visit the separate ENS information project.
Visit Empty Nose Syndrome Info →Original source and verification note
This article is based on a first-person account posted to the Empty Nose Syndrome community on Reddit. The account describes the wife’s experience and statements about her husband’s surgery, symptoms, diagnoses and death. These details have not been independently verified by this blog.
Original Reddit post
Screenshot of the original first-person account on which this article is based.
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