Objectives / Hypothesis: Inferior turbinectomy may cause empty nose syndrome (ENS) which results in sino-nasal problems. There is lack of data that explain the relationship between turbinate volume and patient symptoms. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of interior turbinate volume on symptom severity.

Study Design: Retrospective study from 20 patients with ENS.

Methods: All patients have CT scan and complete SNOT-25 questionnaire. The control group formed of 8 patients with skull base lesions without any nasal problems. The inferior turbinate volumes (ITVs) and SNOT-25 was also assessed.

Results: the ENS patients presented with a small inferior turbinate volume than the control group (P < 0.001). SNOT-25 score showed high dryness score which was correlated with a small total ITV (P=0.029), facial pain was correlated with smaller anterior ITV (P = 0.010). Patients with small ITV demonstrated higher score of sense of suffocation (P = 0.039).

Conclusion: Inferior turbinectomy may lead to ENS which resulted in nasal dysfunction as evident by SNOT-25 items.

Keywords: Inferior turbinectomy, Empty nose syndrome, SNOT-25.