New member ens controversy delayed diagnosis?
Hi Dr. Houser, I had fess surgery for chronic sinus infection 3 yrs. ago, right side only.Since the surgery I have had a non-stop series of health problems.Many different specialists have diagnosed me with things ranging from postural tremor and focal dystonia, loss of balance function in my left ear, severe right side facial and eye pain,recurrent sinus infections , and reactive airway disease.I now have severe depression,mild cognitive dysfunction and anxiety that won't resolve and am being followed closely by a neuropsychiatrist because I have had strong suicidal feelings. I have been -*test*-('")ed upside down & backwards for everything.I keep getting told "I can see there is definitely something wrong, but I don't know what"from all the different doctors, including the ent who did my surgery.He said I can see you still are having problems with that right (maxillary) sinus, but the surgery opened everything right up and there is no reason air shouldn't be getting in there.I don't know why. Good luck." I got a referral to a sinus center at a large hospital after that comment, and have just had my appt. The ENT did the exam, noting my R inferior tubinate had been cut, and the middle turbinate is gone.He said I have empty nose, and there is probably nothing they can do for me- I live in Canada.I had no idea this part of the surgery had been done, or why. I am stunned that one ENT can be clueless about ENS and another 30 mins. away can detect the problem with a simple exam & a look at my CT. My question is this: I am assuming the information about ENS has reached the surgeons who perform these surgeries.It seems like common sense.Why is there a controversy in the ENT community about ENS? I know my past surgeon is not an idiot, he must have felt he was doing the right thing.The new ENT however was clearly disgusted.What is keeping the ENT community from agreeing and recognising ENS when people are suffering?

I wish the ENT community would embrace & teach about ENS, but it does not. I did not learn about it as a resident during training; I learned about it through investigating & with Dr. Grossan's help. The failure to accept my ENS course will continue to keep ENS in the dark for many ENTs that could have benefitted (and especially their patients).

Dr. Houser, Thank you for your reply. I just wanted to say that the new ENT I am seeing is very aware of ENS and is teaching about it to his students (at a very busy sinus clinic in a major Canadian hospital). A medical student and a Fellow were present at my appointment, they both seemed very familiar with the problem.Maybe we will just have to wait for the next generation of ENT surgeons to accept change, seeing as many of the currently established ENTS are acting "like a bunch of old dogs that won't learn new tricks."In the mean time, I hope someone in Canada will undertake an interest in treatment, because we a currently at a loss up here.