Empty Nose Syndrome case · Doloretta “Dory” Ruggeri Lodge
Doloretta “Dory” Ruggeri Lodge: Severe Empty Nose Syndrome Symptoms After Nasal Turbinate Cauterization
Dory was a loving and active woman devoted to her family, everyday routines, cooking meals and walking her dog. Her family’s account describes a dramatic change in her health after nasal turbinate cauterization on December 28, 2018.
Doloretta “Dory” Ruggeri Lodge led a fulfilling life centered around family and the routines she enjoyed. On December 28, 2018, she underwent a nasal cauterization procedure performed by an ENT specialist. According to the family account, she had been assured that it was a simple procedure with a quick recovery.
The December 28, 2018 Nasal Cauterization Procedure
Dory underwent nasal cauterization of the turbinates on December 28, 2018. Her doctor had reportedly described the procedure as simple and low risk, with a short recovery period.
Instead, the procedure marked the beginning of a series of severe health problems that changed nearly every part of her daily life.
Immediate Dryness, Pain, Suffocation Sensation and Insomnia
Immediately after the cauterization, Dory began experiencing severe and unexpected symptoms.
She was unable to sleep and felt an unrelenting combination of dryness and suffocation.
Dory described the inside of her nose as feeling like it had “a million little cuts.”
The pain was constant and made normal daily functioning increasingly difficult.
She returned to the ENT multiple times looking for relief. According to the account, she was repeatedly reassured that everything looked fine and that there was no medical explanation for the severity of her symptoms.
She was advised to see a primary care doctor, who then referred her to other specialists, including a therapist and a sleep specialist.
None of these referrals gave her the explanation she was seeking, and she was repeatedly told that the symptoms might be related to anxiety or depression.
Dory’s Story in Video Testimony
The source notes that Dory’s story is discussed in the video below beginning at approximately 12 minutes and 37 seconds.
Dory’s section begins at approximately 12:37.
A Drastic Change Over the Following Months
Over the course of several months, Dory’s life changed dramatically.
She went from being a vibrant woman who enjoyed family gatherings to becoming increasingly withdrawn and isolated.
According to the account, she became reluctant to be around loved ones because she felt embarrassed by how much her condition had deteriorated.
Her symptoms continued to worsen. She experienced persistent breathlessness, inability to sleep, loss of appetite and an increasing sense of hopelessness.
Dory tried the remedies recommended by her doctors. These included anti-anxiety medication, antidepressants, meditation and lifestyle changes such as exercise.
However, the severe lack of sleep made exercise and other normal routines increasingly difficult.
Dory underwent the procedure after being told it would be relatively simple with a quick recovery.
She developed severe nasal discomfort, suffocation sensations and inability to sleep.
Dory sought answers from the ENT, primary care and other specialists but did not receive an explanation she felt matched her symptoms.
Unable to sleep, she searched online and discovered information about Empty Nose Syndrome.
Dory arranged a consultation and a possible procedure in the hope of improving her condition.
Searching for Answers and Discovering Empty Nose Syndrome
Dory’s desperation led her to search independently for an explanation.
Late at night, while unable to sleep, she searched the internet for conditions that might explain the combination of extreme dryness, abnormal breathing sensation and suffocation.
She eventually found information about Empty Nose Syndrome.
The source describes ENS as a serious iatrogenic disorder that can occur after loss or injury of critical nasal tissue and can produce sensations of suffocation and profound dryness.
Dory recognized her own symptoms in the descriptions she found and felt that she had finally identified the cause of the suffering she had been trying to explain.
Seeking an ENS Specialist in Los Angeles
After discovering ENS, Dory located a specialist in Los Angeles who was familiar with the condition and offered a surgical option that might improve her symptoms.
Dory was willing to accept both the financial burden and emotional risk of traveling across the country because she viewed the treatment as her last significant hope for recovery.
Shortly before the scheduled surgery, however, she received a call from the specialist’s office explaining that the procedure might help but could not guarantee a full return to normal health.
According to the family account, this uncertainty affected Dory deeply.
She had already spent months living with severe symptoms that she felt had been dismissed or misunderstood, and now even the treatment she hoped might restore her health came with substantial uncertainty.
Her Family’s Account and the Importance of Informed Consent
On the day of Dory’s passing, her family found a final note in which she described her despair and frustration.
Her daughter later said that the outcome might have been different if Dory had received more information about the possible risks of nasal procedures or if her postoperative symptoms had been taken seriously sooner.
Dory’s experience is shared by her family as a warning about the importance of thorough informed consent before procedures involving the turbinates.
Her story also highlights the need for clinicians to recognize severe postoperative breathing complaints, dryness and sleep disruption with compassion and to consider Empty Nose Syndrome when the symptom pattern is consistent with it.
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