Inferior Turbinate Reduction-Cautery with Outfracture TE,
Question for you, I had an Inferior Turbinate Reduction-Cautery with Outfracture 9 weeks ago as part of a rhinoplasty to fix a previously broken nose from a sports injury about 10 years ago. The doctor didn't explain the procedure to me prior to the operation. Never had a problem breathing prior to surgery, now experiencing stuffiness. dryness, loss of smell, sore throat, sleeping problems/anxiety (symptoms worse on left than right - ENS type symtpoms).
I see you have referenced that recovery can take up to 6 months or longer. I may feel a tiny bit better this week than I did a month ago (when the sensation on my left side seemed gone, but now I can feel it a little bit). I believe my doctor erred in judgement and now I have to recover. What would your outlook be on, can the reduced areas coming back gradually and gain back some size and symptoms gradually receging?
Thank you.
hoosemec- 04-12-2008
correction Last sentence should read, .."symptoms gradually receding." It looks like he did most of the reduction anteriorally. Thanks.
TE- 04-12-2008
It's very difficult to say. It depends mainly on the level of resection, or - how much IT you have left.
my advice to you is to read the tips for non-surgical treatament on the "what is ENS" page and simply keep fit, try to sleep as best as you can, and try to push it out of your mind for like 10 months. If after that period nothing improves - I would recommend a CT and have it sent to Dr Houser for his analysis.
hoosemec- 04-12-2008
TE.
I had a CT scan about 3 weeks ago, my surgeon ordered it after I kept badgering him about my symptoms and plus, I wanted to see the relative structures. I did send a copy already to Dr. Houser for his opinion. I'll wait to hear back on what he has to say. Thanks.
Let me know the software and a few directions on posting and I'll give it a try.
Christian- 04-15-2008
The software I used is called - SNAGIT
It is very simple to use and you have a 30 day free trial.
http://www.techsmith.com/download/snagittrial.asp
All you do is run the program and then open you CT Scan and you can capture slides with the touch of a few strokes.
Upload them to Flickr (which is also free) and you can have a online CTScan which can be easily shared in the forum.
Took me about 20 Minutes to complete the whole task
hoosemec- 04-17-2008
My CT scan started at the tip of my nose and worked all the way to the back. Do you have any cross-sections where the turbinates start? That's where mine seem to be most reduced? My CD is currently at an ENT's office who I am seeing next week.
let me guess - you feel somewhat more dry on your left than your right, yes?
hoosemec- 05-10-2008
Yes, everything is worse on the left side (the dryness, ear pain, stuffiness). What are your thoughts on recovery considering how much turbinate tissue is left?
TE- 05-10-2008
hoosemec,
Please upload all the slices you've got between pictures 2 and 5.
If all those slices are already there than I can tell you for sure that you don't have ENS, and you probably know this already from seeing your own pictures...
The only very small problem I see is in picture number 3 where there is evidence for a very small and conservative soft tissue cauterization on the external side of the left IT and perhaps, to a smaller degree on the right IT. It's possible that at that point only the passage is slightly too wide, but to tell you the truth it's not even worth worrying about 9 weeks post op, because your IT was hardly touched and it will fill in that small gap with time. Part of the dryness is from the damage to the IT's mucosa at that point and that should heal completely with time. All you need to do is not to worry and to keep your nose moist. A humidifier near your face will put you to sleep. If it works for me with no ITs what so ever it will work for you too.
Other than that I don't think you had any outfracture and the slight cauterizations you had were very minimal and very conservative. I don't know what your initial problem was and why you had your surgery to begin with, but it looks that your doctor hardly did anything.
Perhaps you did not put up all the photos?
But, if that's all of it then I think you're in the wrong board and worrying yourself for no reason.
The same goes to Christian which in his place I don't even see the slightest evidence of any kind of operation, unless the very front of his ITs were operated on, as the slices from that area are missing.
hoosemec- 05-10-2008
TE,
I added in the other slices between 2-5 (there at the same site, slices a-h) fo you to take a look at. Thank you for the opinion. Hoosemec.
TE- 05-10-2008
hoosemec,
the only pics that were not there before are- a, b, and d. Al the others are repeating themselves.
In any-case - I haven't changed my mind.
If it doesn't get better within a year you can ask Dr Houser to augment your left IT at the point shown on pics 3 or C (as they are the same pic).
Good Luck!
