Sherri Ann Cutrona: Empty Nose Syndrome After Laser Turbinate Reduction
Sherri Ann Cutrona was an engineer, mother and active member of the ENS and Tracheobronchomalacia communities. Her account describes decades of respiratory and nasal problems after turbinate surgery, later recognition of Empty Nose Syndrome, implants, repeated infections and extensive efforts to find relief.
Sherri Ann Cutrona, born in 1962, lived in Manchester Township, New Jersey. She passed away on July 16, 2020, at age 57. Originally from Hackensack, she had previously lived in Brick before moving to Manchester Township three years earlier.
Sherri worked as an engineer for Heyco Products in Toms River before retiring. She was active in the Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) Support Group and the Facebook group Empty Nose Syndrome Awareness. She loved dancing, cooking, sewing and cruises.
She was survived by her two sons, Cory J. Speiser of Manchester Township and Shane C. Speiser of Brick, her father Joseph Oles of Toms River, her brother Jeff Cutrona of Toms River, and her sister Cynthia Ronan of South River. Her final wish was to have her ashes scattered at sea.
Sherri Ann Cutrona’s Story Regarding Empty Nose Syndrome
Sherri Ann’s journey with Empty Nose Syndrome was long and arduous and involved numerous consultations and treatments with different specialists.
She saw Dr. Oren Friedman at Penn in Philadelphia. According to Sherri Ann’s account, Dr. Friedman confirmed an ENS diagnosis but said there was little he could offer beyond Premarin cream, antibiotic ointment and nasal oil ordered from the Mayo Clinic. Sherri left the appointment disappointed and did not expect meaningful further help from that consultation.
In another consultation, this time by phone with Dr. Das, she was told that approximately 50% of her inferior turbinates had been removed. She wrote that Dr. Das was compassionate and knowledgeable about her many health problems, which she experienced as a welcome contrast after often feeling dismissed by other doctors.
Repeated Consultations and the Search for Relief
Sherri Ann repeatedly expressed frustration about her declining health. She had a port installed to make IVIG infusions easier because her veins had deteriorated.
She linked many of her long-term problems to turbinate surgery performed 29 years earlier and wrote that the consequences had prevented her from living a full life. The daily burden and repeated crying wore her down, and she often wrote that she simply wanted a few days of feeling well.
She asked other ENS patients about their experiences with implants, particularly people who had undergone surgery with Dr. Nayak. She wanted to know how long recovery took and whether they were satisfied with the results.
Other group members reassured her that she was not alone, but she continued to experience severe symptoms. She considered obtaining a new CT scan and sending it to Ohio State University for another evaluation.
Even after implants, Sherri described her nose as still being “desert dry.”
Chronic Sinus and Respiratory Problems
Sherri Ann had experienced chronic sinus and respiratory infections for years. The supplied account also lists severe asthma, GERD/reflux, IgG deficiency, sleep apnea, allergies and irritable bowel syndrome.
A further health crisis occurred when her trachea and main bronchus collapsed, requiring major surgery with mesh supports.
According to the source material, doctors considered several possible contributors to these respiratory problems, including chronic infections, workplace exposure to burning plastics, prolonged steroid use and Empty Nose Syndrome.
Looking back over many years of illness, Sherri Ann believed she had lived with undiagnosed ENS for a long time. She felt the condition worsened with age.
An endoscopic examination reportedly showed the extent of the previous laser turbinate reduction, with approximately 50% reduction in turbinate volume.
She was disheartened by the lack of understanding and support she had received. She also told another ENS community member that her sleep problems were severe and wrote that she had never slept normally again after her sinus surgeries.
Nasal Implants, CFD Study and Experimental Treatment Search
Sherri Ann underwent an experimental procedure intended to add nasal implants and restore some of the volume lost after turbinate reduction.
The implants were performed by Dr. Overdevst. Four months after the procedure, Sherri wrote that she had experienced no improvement.
She was also exploring stem-cell injections as a possible treatment and had an appointment scheduled.
Before receiving the implants, she underwent a CFD study. The result is included in the supporting material linked further down this page.
In correspondence with other patients, Sherri repeatedly expressed frustration over the lack of effective treatment options and research for Empty Nose Syndrome.
Although she sometimes felt hopeless, she continued to find comfort in her faith and in the support of other people with ENS. She continued seeking new medical opinions and treatment possibilities because she still believed relief might be possible.
Video About Sherri Ann Cutrona’s Case
Final Years, Recurrent Lung Infections and Her Legacy
Sherri Ann passed away on July 16, 2020, at age 57 after another lung infection.
The source material argues that an abnormally open and dry nasal airway may reduce normal filtration and humidification before air reaches the lower respiratory tract. It also raises the possibility that reduced nasal nitric-oxide production after severe mucosal injury could affect local antimicrobial defenses. These mechanisms are presented here as hypotheses and concerns raised in the source material, not as proof of the cause of Sherri Ann’s recurrent lung infections.
Sherri Ann’s struggle with ENS and her many respiratory complications was relentless. Her loss was deeply felt by members of the Empty Nose Syndrome Awareness community.
Her story highlights how severely ENS can affect quality of life and why patients continue to call for better recognition, informed consent, research and treatment options.
Sherri Ann spent much of her life without knowing that some of her symptoms might be related to an earlier laser turbinate reduction that, according to later evaluation, had reduced the volume of her inferior turbinates by around 50%.
Supporting Documentation
The collected material includes further information about Sherri Ann’s medical history, treatments, CFD study and ENS-related discussions.
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