Empty Nose Syndrome After Turbinate Reduction – Sherri Ann Cutrona’s Story

Sherri Ann Cutrona lived for many years with severe health problems following nasal surgery involving laser reduction of the inferior turbinates. Her experience provides a deeply personal account of the symptoms, medical consultations, treatments and complications she associated with Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS).

This page brings together her story, video material, medical experiences and information she shared with the Empty Nose Syndrome community. It is preserved to raise awareness of the potential long-term consequences that some patients report following turbinate reduction, turbinectomy and other forms of nasal surgery.

Video about Sherri Ann Cutrona's experience with Empty Nose Syndrome following turbinate surgery.

Sherri Ann Cutrona's Experience With Empty Nose Syndrome

Sherri Ann Cutrona lived in Manchester Township, New Jersey, USA. She was born around 1962–1963 and passed away on July 16, 2020, at the age of 57.

Originally from Hackensack, New Jersey, she had also lived in Brick before moving to Manchester Township. She worked as an engineer for Heyco Products in Toms River before retiring.

Sherri was active in the Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) Support Group and the Empty Nose Syndrome Awareness community. Outside her health struggles, she enjoyed dancing, cooking, sewing and cruises.

Sherri Ann Cutrona

Empty Nose Syndrome After Laser Turbinate Reduction

Sherri described a long and difficult medical journey involving symptoms she attributed to surgery on her inferior turbinates. She eventually came to understand her problems in the context of Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS), a condition reported by some patients after excessive alteration or loss of turbinate tissue.

According to information Sherri shared, the original procedure involved laser turbinate reduction. She later reported being told that approximately 50% of her inferior turbinate tissue had been reduced or removed.

Consultation With Dr. Oren Friedman

Sherri consulted Dr. Oren Friedman at Penn in Philadelphia. According to her account, he confirmed the diagnosis of Empty Nose Syndrome. She reported that treatment options offered at the time included Premarin cream, antibiotic ointment and nasal oil ordered from the Mayo Clinic.

Sherri left the consultation disappointed because she felt there were few treatment options available to address the severity of her symptoms.

Loss of Inferior Turbinate Tissue

During another consultation, this time by telephone with Dr. Das, Sherri reported being told that approximately 50% of her inferior turbinates had been removed or reduced.

She described Dr. Das as compassionate and knowledgeable about her complex medical situation, which she found particularly meaningful after years in which she often felt that her symptoms were poorly understood.

Severe Symptoms and Declining Health

In messages shared with other patients, Sherri repeatedly described the enormous impact her health problems had on everyday life. She wrote about severe dryness, chronic respiratory problems, sleep difficulties and the emotional burden of living with persistent symptoms.

At one stage she had a port installed to facilitate IVIG infusions because of problems with her veins. She described decades of declining health following the turbinate surgery and expressed how exhausting it was to live with multiple chronic symptoms.

One of the most striking descriptions concerned nasal dryness. Even after undergoing implant treatment, she continued to describe her nose as extremely dry — in her own words, "desert dry."

Severe Sleep Problems

Sherri also reported profound problems with sleep. In communication with another patient, she described the deterioration in sleep as beginning after her sinus surgeries and becoming a persistent part of her illness.

Sleep disturbance is one of the symptoms frequently described by patients with severe Empty Nose Syndrome, alongside abnormal breathing sensation, nasal dryness, air hunger and impaired quality of life.

Nasal Implants and Attempts to Treat Empty Nose Syndrome

Sherri continued looking for treatments that might improve her symptoms. She asked other ENS patients about their experiences with nasal implants, including patients treated by Dr. Jayakar Nayak.

She ultimately underwent an implant procedure intended to restore volume inside the nasal cavity following loss of turbinate tissue. According to Sherri, the implants were performed by Dr. Overdevst.

Approximately four months after the procedure, however, she reported that she had experienced no meaningful improvement.

She also investigated other possible approaches, including stem-cell treatment, and continued seeking additional medical opinions. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of her nasal airflow was also performed before the implant procedure.

Respiratory Disease and Other Medical Complications

Sherri had a complicated medical history that extended beyond Empty Nose Syndrome. She described years of chronic sinus and respiratory infections as well as severe asthma, GERD/reflux, IgG deficiency, sleep apnea, allergies and irritable bowel syndrome.

She later developed serious problems involving collapse of the trachea and main bronchus and underwent major surgery involving mesh support. According to her account, physicians considered several possible contributing factors, including chronic infections, occupational exposure to burning plastics, prolonged steroid use and her broader respiratory history.

Because several different medical conditions and exposures were present, it is important not to attribute all of these complications to Empty Nose Syndrome alone. Her history nevertheless illustrates how medically complex the lives of severely affected patients can become.

Nasal Function, Dryness and Respiratory Health

The nasal turbinates are not simply structures that obstruct airflow. They contribute to the normal conditioning of inspired air by helping regulate airflow and supporting warming, humidification and filtration within the nasal cavity.

Nasal mucosa also participates in the production of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule with several physiological functions in the respiratory system.

For patients who develop severe dryness or altered airflow following nasal surgery, these normal nasal functions are therefore relevant areas for further clinical and scientific investigation. However, Sherri's recurrent infections and later respiratory disease cannot be conclusively attributed to ENS from the information available here.

Living for Years With Undiagnosed Empty Nose Syndrome

One of the most important aspects of Sherri Ann Cutrona's story is how long she lived without understanding that her symptoms might be connected to the earlier turbinate surgery.

As the years passed, she described worsening symptoms and eventually learned that a substantial amount of turbinate tissue had been lost following the earlier laser procedure.

Her experience reflects a recurring problem reported within the ENS community: patients may experience paradoxical nasal obstruction, excessive openness, dryness, disturbed airflow sensation, air hunger and sleep problems even though the anatomical nasal airway appears unusually open.

Sherri Ann Cutrona's Final Years

Despite years of severe illness, Sherri continued searching for answers and treatments. She communicated with other patients, investigated surgical reconstruction, considered experimental approaches and sought additional specialist opinions.

Sherri Ann Cutrona passed away on July 16, 2020, at the age of 57. Available community accounts indicate that she was suffering from another serious lung infection around the time of her death, although this page does not independently establish the medical cause of death.

She is survived by her two sons, Cory J. Speiser and Shane C. Speiser, as well as other family members. Her final wish was reportedly to have her ashes scattered at sea.

Why Sherri Ann Cutrona's Story Matters

Sherri's experience illustrates the profound effect that severe chronic nasal and respiratory symptoms can have on quality of life. It also highlights the importance of preserving normal turbinate function whenever possible and of ensuring that patients considering nasal surgery receive balanced information about both expected benefits and potential complications.

Her story is especially relevant to discussions about Empty Nose Syndrome after turbinate reduction, laser turbinate surgery, turbinectomy, septoplasty and other nasal procedures.

Individual patient stories cannot by themselves establish medical causation. They can, however, identify important clinical questions, document patient experiences and help encourage further research into uncommon but potentially serious postoperative conditions such as Empty Nose Syndrome.

Key topics covered in Sherri's story:

• Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS)
• Laser turbinate reduction
• Inferior turbinate tissue loss
• Severe nasal dryness
• Paradoxical nasal obstruction
• Sleep disturbance after nasal surgery
• Nasal implants for Empty Nose Syndrome
• CFD nasal airflow analysis
• Chronic respiratory symptoms
• Long-term complications following turbinate surgery

Original Documentation and Additional Material

Below is the collection of material gathered about Sherri Ann Cutrona and her experience. The document can be viewed directly on this page. Depending on your device, additional controls may also allow you to open, print or download the document.

Important note: This article documents the experiences and statements attributed to Sherri Ann Cutrona and information collected from patient-community material. It is intended for educational and awareness purposes. Individual experiences do not establish that every medical problem described was caused by Empty Nose Syndrome or by turbinate surgery.

Empty Nose Syndrome After Septorhinoplasty: Rachel’s Story of Atrophic Rhinitis

 

The Story of Rachel Jordan: A Struggle for Every Breath

Rachel Jordan, a woman from the UK, tragically ended her own life in 2021. She battled severe nasal and breathing issues that fundamentally impacted her life. Her story, as revealed through her posts in a support group on Facebook, provides a deep insight into her daily struggles and the measures she tried to alleviate her symptoms.

Rachel described how every breath was a struggle. She explained that her nose was so dry and damaged that she couldn't breathe normally through it. There was no functional mucosa left on her septum and inferior turbinates, resulting in a complete lack of sensation and resistance in her nose. This absence of normal breathing function made every breath an effort that she couldn't even feel, leaving her with a constant pounding pulse and dizziness. Her situation became so desperate that she expressed concern about not being able to see her young daughter grow up.

Rachel asked other group members for recommendations on anxiety medications to help manage the constant fight-or-flight feeling that her condition caused. She had previously tried Sertraline (known as Zoloft in the US) but couldn't cope with the initial side effects it caused.

Rachel’s struggle was not limited to her waking hours. She found that her symptoms were particularly severe in the early hours of the morning. She would wake up in a state of extreme anxiety, unable to control her breathing due to the lack of sensation and resistance in her nose. Although she took mirtazapine to help her sleep, she often woke up between 3 and 5 am and couldn’t go back to sleep. Her anxiety remained high throughout the day, accompanied by noisy and difficult breathing, as well as lightheadedness and dizziness. In the evenings, after around 8 pm, she noticed that her turbinates seemed to swell slightly, giving her a bit more sensation and reducing her anxiety somewhat, although the sensation was still unpleasant and noisy.

No matter what she tried, Rachel couldn't get any moisture into her nose. Her septum remained permanently dry, and she wondered if some kind of metaplasia had occurred, leaving her without any functioning mucosa. She tried various remedies, including rinsing, NeilMed, Xlear, Ayr gel, coconut oil, Bapanthem nasal cream, Vaseline, but nothing worked.

Rachel’s symptoms first appeared after years of crusting in her nose, which she used to remove. She had (regrettably) undergone septorhinoplasty to try to solve her airflow problems, but the surgery only made things worse. The inside of her nose was numb, and she had no resistance to her breathing. She couldn’t sense airflow or temperature changes and felt like she couldn’t breathe. She was constantly manually breathing and couldn’t sleep at night without mirtazapine, which only gave her four hours of sleep on a good night. Her nose was bone dry, and she believed that years of crusting had caused metaplasia.

Rachel shared with group members that mouth breathing felt unnatural, and her body would try to continue breathing through her nose, even though it sent her into a fight-or-flight response because she couldn’t feel it properly.

She wondered if anyone else had experienced internal valve collapse and what their symptoms were. Her nasal breathing was noisy and difficult, and her automatic breathing had almost stopped. She felt pressure across the valve area of her nose and experienced a lot of accessory muscle pain, as well as difficulty sleeping at night without medication. She asked if fixing the valve could cause Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS).

Rachel sought advice on vitamin A nose drops or nasal spray available in the UK and asked if anyone had noticed physical improvement over time through measures such as sinus rinses and moisturizing the nasal passages, or if it was just a matter of learning to manage the symptoms mentally.

Rachel was desperate to find a way to retrain her body to breathe automatically. She manually breathed every breath unless she was asleep, which made her constantly dizzy and woozy because she couldn’t get the rhythm or depth right as her body would. She couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

Rachel's condition made her life unbearable. She asked for advice on how to deal with the fight-or-flight and panic symptoms, which made it difficult for her to eat, and she regularly gagged and even vomited if she didn’t work hard to keep her breathing under control. She took a beta blocker to try to manage her pounding heart.

Her breathing was completely disordered and under her control because she couldn’t sense the air going in and out of her nose. Her body wouldn’t let her sleep much at night because of this, and she often jerked awake covered in sweat.

Rachel’s symptoms had developed over a decade, starting with what she suspected was atrophic rhinitis, characterized by daily large patches of crust on her septum. She admitted, with embarrassment and regret, that she had picked off the crusts, leaving her nose sore and prone to bleeding.

In the last five months of her life, she began experiencing dizzy spells and waking up in the night feeling like she had been over-breathing and hyperventilating. This progressed to feeling suffocated during the day and night, unable to feel the air going into her nose, unable to take a satisfying breath, constantly manually breathing, lightheadedness, and panic. She was prescribed a corticosteroid spray by a doctor who thought she was congested, even though she felt the opposite, and this seemed to worsen her condition. She used saline spray daily, naseptin antibiotic cream, and coconut oil to moisturize her nose, but saw no improvement.

Rachel asked if it was possible for the nasal mucosa to "grow back" or if she was stuck with these debilitating symptoms. She prayed that her nose picking had not damaged her inferior turbinates irreparably.

Rachel Jordan’s story is a heartbreaking account of a woman who struggled immensely with a debilitating condition. Her efforts to find relief and her desperate pleas for help in the support group paint a picture of a life dominated by suffering and anxiety. Despite trying numerous treatments and seeking advice from others, Rachel’s condition continued to deteriorate, ultimately leading her to take her own life. Her story highlights the importance of having a functional nasal mucosa with mucus production and sensory ability.

About the surgery - septorhinoplasty

Rachel underwent septorhinoplasty, a surgical procedure that combines septoplasty and rhinoplasty. Here's a description of the surgery: Septorhinoplasty, is a procedure that addresses both functional and aesthetic concerns of the nose. It involves the following components:

**Septoplasty**

 **Purpose** Corrects a deviated septum, which is the cartilage and bone that divide the nasal cavity into two nostrils. A deviated septum can cause breathing difficulties, nasal congestion, and recurrent sinus infections.

 **Procedure**

- An incision is made inside the nostril to access the septum.

- The surgeon repositions, reshapes, or removes parts of the bone and cartilage to straighten the septum.

 - The mucous membrane, a soft tissue lining the septum, is then repositioned back over the newly shaped septum.

**Rhinoplasty**

**Purpose**: Alters the shape and size of the nose for aesthetic reasons, such as improving appearance or proportion, or to correct deformities resulting from trauma or birth defects.

**Procedure**

- It can be performed either through an open approach (external incision at the base of the nose) or a closed approach (incisions inside the nostrils).

- The surgeon reshapes the bone and cartilage to achieve the desired appearance.

- Cartilage grafts might be used to reinforce and reshape the nose structure.

- The skin is then redraped over the newly shaped structure 

**Risks and Complications**

- Infection, bleeding, or adverse reaction to anesthesia.

- Difficulty breathing through the nose if complications arise.

- Unsatisfactory aesthetic results requiring revision surgery.

- Potential for scarring, numbness, or persistent swelling.

Atrophic rhinitis worsened after septorhinoplasty

In Rachel's case, the septorhinoplasty worsened her situation caused by Atrophic rhinitis and she experienced a debilitating condition known as Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS), where the nasal passages feel too open and dry, causing significant discomfort and breathing difficulties.

Most likely, a nasal valve surgery was performed during Rachel's rhinoplasty. This procedure involves the destruction of the nasal valves with spreader grafts in a so-called "nasal valve repair." This severely opens up the nose and causes ENS symptoms to an extreme degree, as the first gate to control airflow is destroyed.

We make an average of 15,000 inhales and 15,000 exhales through the nose every day. The nose is a high-traffic area, and exposing unprotected mucous surfaces to erosive airflows leads to rapid atrophy of the nasal cavities.

Think about it this way: the turbinates and internal nasal valves in the respiratory system are like heart valves in the circulatory system. The removal or destruction of heart valves will soon lead to a heart attack. Similarly, the destruction of nasal function (turbinates and nasal valves) sets off a destructive domino effect for all body systems that cannot be stopped.

Rachel’s suicide is one of about 50 suicides and 10 failed attempts we have registered in recent years following septoplasty, turbinate reduction, sinus surgery, or septorhinoplasty. These surgeries have one thing in common: they all destroy the nasal mucosa and the sensory ability to sense airflow. They all open up the nose and remove natural air resistance needed to inflate the lungs fully. Surgeons and society keep laughing while patient after patient gets their lives destroyed.

Below you find a word document with all the info we found about Rachel. It can be printed or downloaded at the right bottom corner of the embedded document. 

The Dark Side of ENT Surgeries: Marcio Goulart’s Story with Empty Nose Syndrome

Introduction: Marcio Goulart, born on October 9, 1988, took his own life on April 21, 2020, at the age of 32 after a prolonged struggle with Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS). This condition developed following an almost total bilateral lower turbinectomy with septoplasty performed in 2018. The surgery, which removed 90% of his inferior turbinates on both sides, rendered his life unbearable and left him permanently disabled.

Before the surgery, Marcio was a successful English teacher in Brazil, living a happy and fulfilling life. However, post-surgery, he experienced daily sensations of suffocation, panic attacks, and could barely walk without feeling choked. He compared his breathing to constantly inhaling through tiny straws, with a perpetual sense of obstruction.

Despite the severity of his condition, Marcio's family did not take his illness seriously. He sought help from various doctors, including Dr. Piazza in Italy, who refused to operate on him due to the risk of further complications. This rejection deeply saddened Marcio, and he survived an initial suicide attempt shortly after.

Marcio was active on ENS forums, seeking support and exploring the possibility of getting implants from Dr. Das, though financial and travel constraints hindered his efforts. His condition and subsequent isolation led him to purchase a gun online. He shared his intentions with a few friends, hiding the weapon in his house. One night, after posting a farewell message on Facebook, he took his life.

The ENS community was shocked and heartbroken by Marcio's death. He was a beloved member of the forum, known for his kindness and openness. Marcio fought valiantly against a condition that made his daily existence a living hell, but in the end, he could no longer endure the pain and constant obstruction in his nose. His tragic story highlights the severe risks associated with turbinate surgery and the importance of taking ENS symptoms seriously.

July 16, 2020, A friend to Marcio gives testimony about Marcio's situation. “Hello, yes, I knew Marcio. We called each other every day. He was a very kind and humble person, it was very pleasant to talk with him. He suffered a lot. Every day, he was suffocating and had panic attacks. He was unable to walk without choking. They had removed, on each side, 90% of his lower turbinates. He went to Italy to see Dr. Piazza for implants, but Dr. Piazza refused to operate on Marcio fearing that Marcio would become more obstructed based on what Marcio had told Dr. Piazza regarding his symptoms. Marcio became very depressed after his consultation and shortly after unfortunately attempted suicide. He was able to survive this suicide attempt.

Marcio was very active on the Empty Nose Syndrome forums. He interacted with a lot of people. He was trying to see if he could get implants with Dr. Das, but money and travel cost were an issue. He always told me how much pain he suffered and what a normal life he had before, as an English teacher in Brazil. He was "very successful" before his septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery. After the operation, he was forced to quit his job and became permanently disabled. He compared his breathing to that of a person who breathed all day through a straw with a feeling of permanent obstruction.

His family did not take his condition seriously at all. He always told me he didn't know what he was going to do. Unfortunately, he bought a gun from someone who he met online. He told me about it and a few others too. He hid the gun somewhere in his house and one evening he took it and shot himself in the head. There was nothing I could do to stop it. He had gone on Facebook to say goodbye to this cruel world before pulling the trigger. The ENS community was devastated. Marcio was very popular with everyone in the groups. It was a shock for all of us. Marcio could no longer bear the terrible suffering, nor accept his condition"

Below you can watch an embedded Video of Marcio Goulart, victim of the new era Lobotomis "Turbinate reduction"  that leads to Empty nose syndrome: 

Direct link to the same video on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTHLCTcb2pQ

Reviews Andre Luiz Gomes de Araujo

Marcios surgery was performed 

by the Brazilian surgeon 

 Luiz Gomes de Araujo

Hospital UNIMED Vale do Aco

Rua Ipanema, 86

Centro - Coronel Fabriciano/MG

CEP: 35170-032

 

Below you can see 

the surgical report.

Surgical Procedures Performed

Right Frontal Sinus Surgery & Left Ethmoid Surgery

Procedure: Sinusectomy

Method: Videoendoscopy

Technique: Aspiration via Frontal Recess

Left Sphenoid Sinus Surgery

Procedure: Ethmoidectomy with Media

Turbinoplasty

Sinusectomy

Method: Videoendoscopy

Technique: Aspiration via Natural Ostium

in conclusion: The surgical procedures included a right frontal sinus surgery and a left ethmoid surgery, both involving a sinusectomy. This was performed using videoendoscopy, where a small camera was used to guide the surgery. In these procedures, aspiration was done via the frontal recess to remove fluid or tissue.

Additionally, a left sphenoid sinus surgery was performed, which included an ethmoidectomy and turbinoplasty. This involved removing parts of the ethmoid sinuses and reshaping the middle turbinate to improve airflow, also done with the aid of videoendoscopy.

Finally, a left frontal sinus surgery was conducted, involving another sinusectomy. The surgeon used videoendoscopy for guidance and performed aspiration via the natural ostium to clear the sinus.

When Andre Luiz Gomes de Araujo was done butchering Marcios nose his X-ray looked like this. Compleatly wide open, totally without inferior turbinates.

Andre Luiz Gomes Araujo now had created Empty Nose Syndrome. Marcio became yet another victim of the new era's lobotomy—namely, turbinate reduction.

This procedure leads to a condition that causes a constant feeling of suffocation. Many describe it as akin to constantly drowning without ever dying. Marcio was abused and subjected to mistreatment in the same way as thousands of people around the world who suffer similar fates. These doctors go free and, in many cases, laugh at the affected patients. Surgeons do not warn about the consequences of these operations because they are financially dependent on performing them. When patients return injured, the doctors try to manipulate them into believing they have psychological problems. When will these doctors be held accountable for the thousands of suicides worldwide their operations lead to?

Marcio's suicide is one of 46 suicides and 8 failed attempts we have registered after Turbinate reduction surgery in recent years. Below, you will find some selected comments from Marcio's YouTube channel and from Facebook groups where he was a member.

Comments from the ENS community to Marcio Goulart (You Tube videos and US forum)

Person 1: "Thank you so much for your video Marcio. We love and miss you forever. Thank you for being one of the gentlemen, the most kind and understanding human being. I am so sorry for all the suffering you endured. We'll all be reunited someday. Heaven gained another beautiful angel. You will forever be missed & live in our hearts. Until we talk and meet again.

Person 2: "Hello Marcio. it's (name protected). Great video, don't give up my friend, you have been given a tough road like me, but it will also be the making of you as a person, if you can get through this, you can get through anything”.

Person 3: “Marcios surgeon killed Marcio. If his surgeon did not remove Marcios inferior turbinates,Marcio would not have suffered tremendously with ENS and he would not have had to end his life”.

Person 4: “Sad, we love, I love you, I can understand you. My brother be brave”

Person 5: Ensaerodynamics: "Marcio this is so sad. I too have ENS and I have seen far too many people kill themselves over this sad surgically caused condition. More people need to be made aware of how dangerous turbinate surgeries are. These ENT doctors do not know the scope of their craft.They don't know where the nerves are. Their research on turbinate reduction has been shoddy and has produced decades of conflicting results. To how much to remove or where. They are guessing which is experimenting on humans! Some remove middle turbinates, some inferior, some burn them, use lasers, RF and all matter of resection procedures, even during septoplasty procedures. I know because I have lived it and struggled with ending my life as well. Instead, I was lucky enough to find a good doctor to rebuild the inside of my nose with implants. learned to model airflow and have posted my results here for anyone who wants to know exactly how totally destructive many "common" nasal surgeries actually are: http://emptynosesyndromeaerodynamics.com/"

Person 6: "Marcio was a very close, good friend of mine. May God have mercy on your soul. Love you man. You were the best. The most kind, caring, honest person you could ever talk to". He has passed away. He was brain dead at first but he has now passed away. It breaks my heart. I was very close to him."For those of you who don’t know he committed suicide on the morning of April 21, 2020, like yesterday".

Person 7: April 28 th 2020:
"In April of 2020 ENS victim Marcio Goulart took his own life because he could no longer tolerate the unbelievable suffering caused by his grotesquely incompetent surgeon who removed just about all his turbinates two years ago. Does anyone have the name and contact info for this surgeon ? I want everyone to call and email this surgeon demanding that he pay Marcio's mother for ALL funeral expenses in addition to compensation for the unbelievable pain and suffering she is dealing with. This surgeon is a monster who must be held financially responsible for what was done to such a beautiful and caring soul.

Person 8: April 26, 2020:
"Hi, I come to inform you that the funeral and funeral of our dear friend Marcio is scheduled for 3 pm, in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. May we bring prayers and a lot of light to him and his family in this sad moment of farewell" 

Below you will find all the information we gathered about Marcio. The document can be downloaded or printed from the bottom right corner.

Rhinoplasty / Turbinoplasty – A Devastating Empty Nose Syndrome Journey for Raphaël Goblet

Empty Nose Syndrome case · Belgium

Empty Nose Syndrome – Raphaël’s Story After Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction

Raphaël lived in Chaumont-Gistoux in the Brussels region of Belgium. The source material describes severe Empty Nose Syndrome symptoms after septoplasty and turbinate reduction, followed by an unsuccessful nasal implant procedure and a further decline in his health.

Raphaël — original image preserved from the source material.

Source context: This page preserves the supplied account of Raphaël’s surgery, symptoms, implant treatment and later decline. Statements about individual surgeons, the septal defect, implant rejection, prevalence figures and causation are presented as claims from the source material rather than as independent medical or legal findings.

NameRaphaël

BornJanuary 25, 1987

LocationChaumont-Gistoux, Belgium

Nasal surgerySeptoplasty + turbinate reduction

Later treatmentNasal implant with PMMA

Passed awayMarch 7, 2013 · age 26

On this page

1. Background and first nasal surgery
2. Video about Raphaël’s case
3. The nasal implant procedure
4. What Empty Nose Syndrome is
5. Common symptoms described in the source
6. Concerns about informed consent and recognition
7. Raphaël’s final decline
8. Why the case remains important

Background and First Nasal Surgery

Raphaël lived in Chaumont-Gistoux, a town in the Brussels region of Belgium. He was born on January 25, 1987, in Brussels (Ixelles).

In adult life, Raphaël underwent septoplasty and turbinate reduction and subsequently developed symptoms that the source material identifies as Empty Nose Syndrome.

The source names Dr. Philippe Rombaux as the surgeon and states that a septal perforation was also created during the operation. That statement is retained here as part of the original account.

Video About Raphaël’s Case

The Nasal Implant Procedure

As Raphaël’s condition worsened, he sought further treatment and decided to undergo a nasal implant procedure with Dr. Gilles Ayoun.

Nasal implants are used by some ENS specialists in an attempt to restore lost volume, increase airflow resistance, redirect airflow and reduce dryness in patients who have lost turbinate tissue.

According to the source, Dr. Ayoun used acrylic implants made from polymethyl methacrylate, commonly abbreviated PMMA.

The source questions why this material was chosen, noting that other reconstructive approaches may use auricular cartilage or costal cartilage. It states that Raphaël’s body did not tolerate the acrylic implants and that his condition worsened after the procedure.

What Empty Nose Syndrome Is

Empty Nose Syndrome is described in the source as a postoperative condition associated with injury to the nasal mucosa and excessive reduction or removal of turbinate tissue.

The source also notes that ENS-like symptoms have been reported after sinus surgery, rhinoplasty and septoplasty, particularly when these procedures alter the turbinates or nasal airflow.

Patients may describe a paradoxical sense of obstruction or suffocation even though the nasal passages appear physically open. The source emphasizes the profound impact this can have on breathing comfort, sleep, daily function and mental well-being.

Common Symptoms Described in the Source

• A sensation of suffocation or inability to breathe normally.
• Nasal dryness and crusting.
• Frequent nasal or respiratory infections.
• Abnormal breathing patterns, including hyperventilation or hypoventilation.
• Changes in smell and taste.
• Severe insomnia.
• Persistent fatigue.
• Sensitivity to smells, smoke and airborne particles.
• Anxiety and depression associated with constant breathing distress.

Concerns About Informed Consent and Recognition

The original text strongly criticizes the way turbinate procedures are discussed with patients and argues that many people are not adequately warned about the possibility of severe postoperative breathing problems.

It also states that some patients did not realize their turbinates would be operated on and later felt dismissed when they returned with persistent symptoms.

The source claims that some surgeons interpret these postoperative symptoms as psychological even when patients believe the underlying problem is physical and directly related to altered nasal anatomy and sensation.

The original page cites an estimate that around 20% of turbinate reductions may lead to Empty Nose Syndrome. This figure should be treated as a claim from the source and not as an established population-level prevalence rate.

Raphaël’s Final Decline

Raphaël, like many patients described in ENS communities, experienced severe and persistent symptoms.

After the implant procedure failed to provide relief, the source describes continuing suffocation sensations, insomnia and other ENS-related problems.

At age 26, Raphaël was lost after a final crisis. He passed away on March 7, 2013.

The original article places his case among a larger number of tragic outcomes that the site has compiled following nasal surgery. Those case counts are community-collected observations and should not be interpreted as verified epidemiological statistics.

Why Raphaël’s Story Remains Important

The original text asks how long patients with severe postoperative breathing problems will continue to feel ignored and how many more people will have to experience devastating outcomes before the risks of turbinate surgery receive greater attention.

It argues that society and the medical profession should listen more closely to people who describe severe loss of nasal function after surgery, particularly when those problems affect sleep, breathing comfort, the ability to work and everyday quality of life.

The source also refers to an extreme case in China in which a patient later attacked the doctor he blamed for his condition. That example is presented in the original material as an illustration of how intense unresolved suffering and anger can become when patients feel unheard.

Raphaël’s case is preserved here as part of a broader call for better informed consent, improved recognition of Empty Nose Syndrome, careful preservation of turbinate tissue and more effective treatment options for patients who develop severe symptoms after nasal surgery.

The Pain of Breathing for Patients with Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS)

Introduction: Two years ago, when the second trial of the Wenling doctor-killing case opened, the defense lawyer of the defendant Lian Enqing mentioned the concept of "empty nose syndrome" for the first time in court. Because the public knows little about empty nose syndrome, some patients are believed to have mental illness, which has become a hidden pain for this patient group - the disease is always with them, but it is difficult to diagnose and is not understood. The audio file below is sourced from a Chinese radio channel that reads parts of the Beijing News article:

The Pain of Breathing for Patients with Empty Nose Syndrome

Original author: Luo Ting, Wang Jingyi
The audio file consists song Yu's selected readings from the mentioned article. 

The radio program was broadcasted 2016/11/30

In the embedded audio file below you will explore personal stories from individuals suffering from Empty Nose Syndrome after surgeons removed or reduced their Turbinates. In the radio program, they describe their difficulties with breathing, their mental health, and societal misunderstandings. Various medical perspectives are explored, including diagnoses, symptoms, and potential causes of the syndrome.

Additionally, the audio file touches on nasal anatomy, specifically focusing on the role of the turbinates in regulating airflow and maintaining nasal function. Throughout the article, personal anecdotes, medical insights, and scientific explanations are interwoven, providing a comprehensive overview of the condition Empty Nose Syndrome.

Below the embedded video, you can read a version where the Chinese audio file has been translated into English. The audio file includes embedded English subtitles. If you prefer other languages, you can select them by clicking on the settings icon in the video on YouTube.

 

Transcript of the audio file:

00:00

Welcome everyone to today's program. I am Song Yu. I am here today for everyone reading the article: The Pain of Breathing for patients with Empty Nose syndrome: This is from the New Beijing News two years ago. During the second trial of the Wenling murder case, the defendant Lian Enqing's lawyer first mentioned the concept of Empty Nose Syndrome in court. Because the public knows very little about Empty nose syndrome, some patients are believed to have mental illnesses…

00:40

This disease actually seems normal on the surface, but underneath it is truly terrifying. It's unbearable all the time, I've tried to commit suicide twice. My mother saved me both times... Some doctors don't understand this disease and tell you to go to a psychiatrist which means this has become a hidden pain for this patient group.

01:01

The disease follows like a shadow and is difficult to diagnose. Not well understood, only patients with the same condition can understand the suffering. Today we will talk about the pain of breathing for people with empty nose syndrome… Sun Su Lin could hardly wait to enter the shower room and turn on the hot water, steam quickly filled the entire small space.

1:30 am

She inhaled greedily, wishing she could breathe all the hot steam into her nose. This warmth and moisture in her nose means a lot to her and is really precious. Since the nose operation in 2013, breathing has become an exhausting task for Sun Sulin. Nasal congestion, pressure on the chest and even suffocation are now everyday experiences..

01:59

She once saw her badly damaged nasal mucosa on camera, it was pale, pale as a white dessert. According to several hospital diagnoses, she had Empty nose syndrome. Empty nose syndrome, a term never before seen in medical textbooks. Han Deming, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at the Tongren Hospital ENT Department, defines it as a post-surgical complication.

02:22

Studies show that with destructive nose surgery, 20% of patients may develop Empty Nose Syndrome, but Han Deming believes this number may be higher. The concept first entered the public consciousness two years ago during the second trial of the Wen Lingsha case, when the defendant Lian Enqing's defense lawyer brought up Empty nose syndrome. Since then, it began to enter the public consciousness, and more and more sufferers of Empty Nose Syndrome began to speak up.

02:50

This is a condition that is painful every second, every minute, because the nose is always like this. You have to breathe like this ¨every second, every minute. It is very unpleasant. I am now at home every day. After the surgery I was so stressed and never sat down, walked around and around and couldn't relax. It was so unpleasant that I just wanted to cry.

03:05

At the time I was thinking of taking a small lid and pinching it under my nose, but that method is really not scientific. As a person, I look normal on the surface, but in reality I'm horrible. The mental and emotional destruction is greatest. Because the public knows very little about Empty Nose Syndrome, some patients are thought to have mental illnesses.

03:32

This also becomes a hidden pain for this patient group. The disease follows them like a shadow, but their disease is difficult to diagnose and not well understood. Breathing, a simple and everyday task for most people, but for patients with Empty Nose Syndrome, this ordinary task becomes incredibly exhausting. Stay tuned to the show for more information on the breathing pain related to Empty Nose Syndrome.

04:08

Sun Su-lin is 45 years old, has a round face and smiling eyes. Some think she looks like the famous comedian Jia Ling. As a mid-level manager in a foreign company in Shanghai, her life used to be comfortable and pleasant. But a major turning point in life came because of a small choice. In December 2013, due to itching in her ear canal, Sun Su-lin went to the ENT department of a hospital in Shanghai.

04:37

An elderly female doctor examined her and said that the ear, nose and throat are connected. The ear infection was actually caused by the nose, and the nose needed treatment first. Sun Su-lin says she naively accepted nose treatment under the doctor's guidance. She remembers that the doctor said it was not a classic operation, nor was there a no-consent form for the operation.

04:53

A thin metal tube was inserted into her nose and passed back and forth. The process lasted about half an hour. The billing statement showed that Sun Su-lin underwent about ten procedures, including partial resections of the lower and middle turbinates. In the days following the operation, her wound gradually healed, but other discomforts began to appear.

05:11

Sun Su-lin began to feel that the air was too dry and cold, and she often experienced chest tightness and headaches, and sometimes even a vague feeling of suffocation. On March 26, 2014, while walking home from work, she was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of suffocation. Chest tightness, palpitations and shortness of breath.

05:34

She collapsed by the side of the road, terrified and wanted to cry, but there was no sound. She said it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on her chest, and she thought she was going to die. She struggled to get home and her mother performed basic CPR. The feeling of suffocation eased somewhat but did not go away.

05:51

From that day on, breathing became an exhausting task. She kept making strange noises, started purring and grunting. Breathing became a laborious task. She was always making strange, gurgling noises and her lips were turning purple from choking. Sun Sulin said that the air she breathed in was dry and cold, like a knife stabbing straight into the deepest part of her nasal cavity and shooting out into her head.

06:12

Headache, dizziness, insomnia and pneumonia appeared. People around her noticed that this normally fair-skinned Southern woman now had pores that turned faintly black. Her husband, Lao Tao, who was often on business trips, came home and found it strange that his wife always wore a mask and her voice had become weak. Later, Sun Sulin was diagnosed with: Empty Nose Syndrome in several hospitals.

06:35

According to media reports, the official name for the condition is Empty Nose Syndrome. It is an English name and abbreviated ENS. The condition was first discovered in 1945 by an American doctor named Kern... Dr. Tian Xingde of Jingzhou First People's Hospital has observed that the most common symptoms of Empty Nose Syndrome include paradoxical nasal obstruction, difficulty breathing, dry nasal mucosa, impaired sense of smell, and depression.

07:09

What exactly causes Empty Nose Syndrome? From the currently collected patient data and physician feedback, it appears that almost all patients with Empty Nose Syndrome developed the condition after undergoing surgery of the nasal turbinates. So what role do these organs play in our breathing?

This program will soon continue to discuss the breathing pain experienced by patients with Empty Nose Syndrome....

07:28

If we compare the human nasal cavity with an instrument, the producer must have deep understanding in beauty and design. Breathing, this seemingly simple act, is actually performed by a series of intricate parts working in perfect coordination in a predetermined program. According to relevant data, panting is repeated 10 times per minute by a quiet office worker, while a running athlete breathes more than 30 times per minute.

07:51

One of the parts involved is the Mussels. These bulging structures on the side walls of the nasal cavity, wrapped in mucous membranes, play a very important role. Professor Han Deming, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an ENT specialist at Tongren Hospital, explained that a normal nose has three turbinates: the upper, middle and lower turbinates.

08:09

The lower turbinate helps to form the narrowest and softest passage in the nasal cavity. Here the air has the maximum contact surface with the nasal mucosa, which heats, humidifies and filters the air. To accomplish this, the air must meet some resistance after entering the nasal cavity. The narrow passage provided by the turbinates offers about half of this resistance which must be balanced with the power of the lungs.

08:29

When air enters the nasal cavity, the lungs need to expand to draw in the valuable air and this is facilitated by the resistance of the nose. If any part does not work, the function of the whole system will be affected.... Recalling the operation from two years ago, Sun Sulin's fellow patient Cheng Shunuo choked several times. Two years ago, at the age of 25, Cheng Shunuo from Hubei underwent a botched operation on his nasal turbinates at a hospital in Wuhan to treat rhinitis.

09:24

Afterwards, he was diagnosed with Empty Nose Syndrome, the same condition that afflicted Sun Sulin. He suffered from a feeling of suffocation, weakness, insomnia, headache. This young man, in his early twenties, appeared exhausted and was already losing his hair. During the interview with the reporter, he often paused to take deep breaths... In order to maintain his image, he often went outside during the interview and leaned against the wall and made hissing noises similar to those Sun Sulin makes.

09:49

Wang Taili, a member of the famous group Chopsticks Brothers, is also a patient that Sun Sulin knows. He also suffers from Empty Nose Syndrome. In a media interview, he said that he underwent an operation to achieve nasal resonance for singing and that half of his lower turbinates were then cut off by a local doctor. This led to excessive ventilation and a constant feeling of dryness.

10:08 a.m

He paid a high price for an unattainable dream. When faced with an illness, celebrities do no better than ordinary people. Wang Taili told Sun Sulin that he had to tape one nostril to sleep. Otherwise he felt cold and dry air. He also tried treatments from several doctors, both domestic and international, with little or no success.

10:23

The inferior nasal turbinate reduction that Wang Taili underwent and the radiofrequency treatment that Cheng Shunuo had are both common procedures among patients with Empty Nose Syndrome. Many underwent just these types of surgeries before developing the condition. Dr. Das Subinoy, an American doctor dedicated to "researching" Empty Nose Syndrome, said in an email to Beijing News that almost all patients developed the condition due to previously performed surgery on the nasal turbinates.

10:43 am

Han Deming, an academician of the Chinese Academy and an ENT specialist at Tongren Hospital, explained that the turbinates and their mucous membranes are fundamental structures in the nasal cavity. They support nasal breathing, resonance, heating and filtration, provide sensations of air pressure and air temperature, and allow us to smell.

10:56 a.m

Regarding surgery for nasal congestion, Han Deming used an analogy: How we treat inflammation in the nose is like the situation in Shanghai with the Yangtze River. Treating the environment in Shanghai without addressing the pollution in the Yangtze River is like putting the cart before the horse. Breathing, resonance, heating, filtering, provides sensations of air flow, air pressure, cold and heat, and allows us to smell.

11:13

Han Deming explained that when the lower turbinates are damaged, the normally narrow and narrow airways become wider and nasal resistance is significantly reduced.

11:35

The ability of the lungs to expand is weakened and the decline in respiratory function can lead to a feeling of pressure on the chest and even suffocation. Low temperature, cryotherapy and plasma reduction of the turbinates are all operations that destroy the mucous membrane. The nasal mucosa is rich in nerve endings and can sense air flow.

11:51

Once damaged, you can no longer feel the airflow leading to a sensation similar to nasal congestion. Without the nasal mucosa, air cannot be heated and humidified sufficiently, which means that the air entering the nasal cavity feels very dry and cold. This irritates the nerve endings in the nasal cavity and causes headaches.

12:07 p.m

In addition, the air now lacks effective cleaning and filtration and now carries bacteria into the lungs, which can lead to lung infections... Many patients suffering from Empty nose syndrome are only understood by other affected patients. Outsiders cannot understand why they seem normal, but suffer so much. Within the medical community, there are differing opinions on Empty Nose Syndrome.

12:27 p.m

Many ENT doctors believe that the breathing problems ENS patients have is closely related to the patient's psychology. For over two years, Sun Sulin's breathing problems have increasingly limited her as a person. She says she can't die, but she can't live well either.

12:45 p.m

Previously, her mother and husband had to sleep on either side of her in the same bed, pinning her in the middle to prevent her sneaking into the kitchen at night to find a knife to end it all. This type of suffering can only be understood by Empty Nose Syndrome patients. Once she took many sleeping pills to end it, but her family intervened.

13:10

She constantly used things to pierce her throat and used other self-harming behaviors, and her family had to keep an eye open When her nose was first injured, she lost 14 kg in 20 days, and she could only sleep 10 minutes a day. And she couldn't even get out of bed. She also had nightmares and crawled out of bed to get up.

13:27

Every night she lived like this and tried to commit suicide twice. My mother saved me. Others do not understand your pain. Even when you tell your parents they say they know you had surgery but even after so many surgeries you are still not better. Who can you blame for that? Saying this to me, hearing these words makes me even more depressed.

13:46

Only fellow patients with the same condition can understand. Only we understand this disease, we comfort each other in online forums. When I really want to end my life, they tell me to wait. To try more treatment first. If they feel that way, I comfort them, we support each other. Because no one else understands, others don't understand your pain They know you are sad, but they don't know how much you suffer from physical and mental pain.

14:11

The situation is very bad for Empty Nose Syndrome patients, some say they would exchange an arm or a leg for a healthy nose. Losing a limb gives sympathy but for us there is no sympathy. In a 2013 Tencent video, a patient says he searched everywhere for a cure. When he found one, there was a risk that it could cause cancer. Then he said: Cancer, so what? As long as it cures my nose! So I think this condition is worse than cancer. Not being able to breathe, I'd rather have cancer! Patients with Empty Nose Syndrome are not understood.

2:33 p.m

A doctor once told a 25-year-old man from Hubei "You should see a psychiatrist, stop thinking about your nose" What hurt him the most was his mother's attitude. His parents divorced when he was young, and he lived with his mother. To support himself, he worked as a cleaner. After he got sick, he couldn't work. His mother was very angry about this and said he was lazy.

14:45

She forced him to get a job. Later he took advice from other patients moved to Hainan where the warm and humid air helped. He could not do heavy work, but could make a living. American doctor Das Subino said in an email that the first challenge for patients with Empty nose syndrome is getting the diagnosis because tests can come back normal.

15:51

More than one ENS patient has said that their local hospital was not familiar with this condition. The doctor could not understand why patients with wide nasal passages would experience a subjective feeling of difficulty breathing... When almost all indicators are normal, doctors believe that the patient has a mental problem.

16:12

At another hospital they said "Go to a psychiatrist, it's a neurological issue. You have good airflow. It looks like your nasal passage is quite wide. The doctor said that such wide passages shouldn't have any airflow problems. Go to a neurologist. They suspect that you have mental problems. In the medical community, there are different opinions about Empty Nose Syndrome. Several ENT doctors interviewed believe that the condition is closely related to the patient's mental state.

4:33 p.m

Zhou Bing, head of ENT at Beijing Tongren Hospital has analyzed patients he diagnosed with Empty Nose Syndrome. He found that these patients' turbinates appeared normal in shape and they had two turbinates that had never been operated on. He said all of these patients had undergone psychological evaluation before surgery.

16:58

There is a gap in understanding. Patients show varying levels of anxiety, depression and other psychological symptoms. Doctors at Beijing Anzheng Hospital understand the suffering of Empty Nose Syndrome patients. He believes that the problem is not only due to damage to the mucous membrane of the turbinates, but generally to the mucous membrane of the nose.

17:12

Some believe that it is the subjective feelings of some patients that are magnified but from the perspective of the patients, they feel a deep pain. However, the doctors make their own assessment and there is a gap in understanding between the two. This contradiction has given rise to confusion.

17:29

Although the medical community has clearly linked this symptom to surgery, there is a significant imbalance in the development of rhinology in different regions of China. But is surgery really the only treatment required for nasal congestion? Different hospitals have different options... The paper then goes on to highlight breathing pains in patients with Empty Nose Syndrome.

17:48

The doctors at the First People's Hospital in Jingzhou City, Hubei, cannot explain why some patients develop Empty Nose Syndrome after resection of the inferior turbinates while others do not. However, the pain of breathing in this condition is real. Doctor Tian Xingde of the First People's Hospital in Jingzhou City, Hubei, wrote in a research paper that he cannot explain why some patients develop Empty Nose Syndrome while others do not.

18:09

This is a confusion for most doctors today. But what he is sure of is that around 20% of patients will develop Empty nose syndrome after surgery on the lower turbinates. Professor Han Deming of the Chinese Academy of Engineering said that this figure could be even higher and that sometimes these operations are unnecessary.

18:23

Dr. Han Deming once wrote that the development of rhinology varies greatly between different regions of China. There is a lack of understanding and there is blind obedience in clinical practice. There is also a lack of understanding in clinical practice. He wrote, “Physicians who blindly perform surgery injure these structures (the turbinates) through ignorance.

18:51

Patients feel nasal congestion and doctors blindly cut off the turbinates. They are then left with an empty nasal feeling. Han Deming believes that the guideline for surgery should always be to preserve the basic structure of the turbinates.

Xiaopan went to a hospital because of sinus problems. The doctor said a minor operation was needed. After returning home, Xiaopan was contacted by the hospital to undergo surgery. When the surgery was done, he got Empty Nose Syndrome. During the interview, Xiaopan's nose was stuffed with cotton and his voice was weak, as if he was forcing his throat to speak.

19:27

Doctors from another hospital later examined his nose and said that this operation should not have been performed at all. In fact, many doctors currently urge caution when using surgery to reduce the turbinates, given its importance.

19:37

When interviewed, a doctor from a clinic in Beijing with a high-class positioning said that their clinic does not perform such destructive operations because they damage the physiological structure of the nasal cavity, although a short-term improvement can be achieved, the long-term consequences can be serious.

19:51

Han Deming said that Beijing Tongren Hospital has long since stopped performing destructive operations to reduce the turbinates.

20:03

He has personally repeatedly called for caution in such operations in various academic texts, but the situation in some small and medium-sized hospitals and private hospitals may be too optimistic. Chongqing Medical University and Affiliated Physician Yongchuan of the Department of Otolaryngology. Considers that for all diseases of the nasal cavity, the operation should be standardized where conservative treatment methods should first be used before the operation. The doctor at the hospital's otolaryngology department also believes that for all nasal conditions there should be one

20:20

conservative standard treatment that must first be undergone before resorting to surgery. And that surgery should only be considered when conservative treatment proves ineffective. Surgeons should also avoid unnecessary overexpansion of the nasal cavity during surgical procedures. ENT professionals should approach septal resection with caution and avoid excessive surgical intervention.

20:40

Experts say removal of nasal septal tissue should only be done in cases of severe trauma, bone exposure or tumor. But in reality, whether or not this surgery is performed differs between hospitals, methods of surgery also differ, and patients are offered different choices. Last winter, a Beijing News journalist visited an exclusive ear, nose and throat clinic in Beijing and interviewed a doctor named Liu.

21:01

He stated that their clinic does not perform destructive surgeries such as nasal septoplasty because it disrupts the physiological structure of the nasal cavity, although short-term improvements can be achieved, the long-term consequences can be severe. However, we had a journalist check out a private ear, nose and throat clinic in southeast Beijing, and here a female doctor suggested performing surgery on hypertrophic turbinates to improve symptoms of nasal congestion.

21:24

The cost of the operation of the turbinates would be RMB 20,000. Elsewhere, a "minimally invasive" approach was suggested even for our 70-year-old journalist. In response to concerns raised by the journalist about Empty Nose Syndrome, the doctor's response was: “You could be hit by a car.

When the journalist mentioned that he needed to consider whether or not to have surgery, the doctor quickly handed over a business card and suggested that he come directly to him in his adjacent consulting room, without even making an appointment. Yet another doctor at another clinic offered a similar treatment plan.

21:50

The medical community's understanding of this condition remains patchy... So for patients with Empty Nose Syndrome. How is there any hope for a cure? Considering the state of medical knowledge, the battle between Sun Sulin and Empty Nose Syndrome has been going on for over two years.

22:29

Almost every possible treatment plan has been tried. She has also written emails to the government of China, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, the United States and other research institutions. She has visited many experts in person but to no avail. Last August, Sun Sulin went to the United States for treatment, but it was still ineffective. For Sun Sulin, part of her nostrils are permanently lost, repairing it is not an easy task.

22:51

Theoretically, part of the turbinate on the opposite side can be removed and then implanted on the injured side, but whether the operated turbinate can survive, and to what extent, is unknown.

23:09

This is easy to say, but hard to do. So he suggests training is needed so doctors don't damage the structure. It is not entirely without hope. The Anthony Atala Research Institute at Wake Forest University in the United States told Sun Sulin that there is hope for successful research to cure Empty Nose Syndrome. however, the cost is staggering.

23:26

The first phase of animal testing costs about $500,000. Subsequent human experiments require about $800,000. Dr. Chang Shunuo, who has long studied Empty Nose Syndrome, wrote in an email, "The condition is difficult to cure. Currently available treatment methods are limited. He is currently researching a new treatment method, but it is still experimental.

23:42

Professor Han Deming's team is doing meaningful work, namely clinical observation and establishing a standardized diagnosis and treatment model across the country to prevent surgery from being abused. He believes that surgery of the turbinates will become less and less common. Professor further says that this generation is responsible for solving the problem of Empty Nose Syndrome. Instead, Han believes that drug treatment is expected to increase, which will reduce the number of operations performed on the nasal turbinates.

24:18

According to Professor Han, this trend suggests that the problem of Em,pty Nose Syndrome may soon become a thing of the past. The responsibility lies with this generation until a solution comes. Meanwhile, patients continue to struggle to breathe deeply. Cheng Shunuo now uses invisible nose plugs that she imported from the United States, these cost more than forty yuan.

24:44

They are small, with two silicone discs with a sponge filter in between. Each less than a centimeter in diameter, they are inserted into the nose to relieve excessively wide nasal passages due to the removal of the turbinates, creating a narrower airway. Some continue to wait while others have taken action. When Sun Sulin's appeal for help was posted on Tianya, it attracted a lot of attention.

25:06

Sun Sulin continues to be followed by many patients hoping to gain useful insights from her medical journey. Every day she receives letters filled with fear, anxiety, hope and despair from all over the world. In the midst of uncertainty, Sun Sulin remains a beacon of hope for those who are suffering. During the interview, her husband, Lao Tao, told a story from ten years ago.

25:26

Sun Sulin was sent by the company to a chemical factory in Shanghai to manage the construction of the new premises. Suddenly there was an explosion, and there was chaos with fire everywhere, things falling from the sky. Everyone ran out, but she took her safety helmet and ran into the factory. She wanted to see if their construction had caused it. Lao Tao said that his wife is such a brave person, so the pain she is enduring must be real. As her husband, he must accompany her through everything.

25:48

Listening friends, what you just heard is a selected reading from Beijing times magazine: and the article "The Pain of Breathing for Empty Nose Syndrome Patients." My name is Song Yu and I thank you for listening to today's program. This excerpt is from New Jingbao's "First-Person" program.

26:08

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