Can inferior turbinate cauterization cause sarcoidosis? can it be reversed? my inferior turbinates were cauterized in 5/09. my airways since are very dry. can the lack of nasal filtration/humidification cause sarcoidosis? can turbinates be restored to

There : There is a condition called empty nose syndrome in which the mucosal surface is greatly reduced which may cause dry nose. However one must take the turbinates almost completely out. Sarcoid can definately contribute to nasal driness more so if you are on immunosupressive meds.

Submucosal : Submucosal cauterization of the inferior turbinates would not typically result in excessive dryness of the nose since it is a mucosally conservative technique. Are you sure you didn't undergo partial turbinectomy with cauterization? Over-resection of the turbinates can lead to atrophic rhinitis (ozena) since the purpose of the turbinates is to provide increased surface area in your nose for the purposes of warming, filtering, and humidifying the air before it reaches our lungs. If you have active sarcoidosis this can effect the normal function of the nasal mucosa and lead to increased dryness. Once turbinates are resected you can't restore them back to normal. What you can do is maintain good nasal hygiene through use of moisturizing sprays and nasal irrigations (sinurinse, ocean nasal/ayr, pretz, ponaris, etc.).Arcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that is not caused by the lack of normal nasal function, but rather, can result in secondary nasal dysfunction.

Nasal : Nasal turbinate cauterization can not cause sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis could make your airways feel abnormal. It depends on how much your turbinates were decreased in size whether cauterization has anything to do with your nose being too dry. It would be unlikely that cauterization alone would cause an amount of dryness to your nose that would make you feel ill, or need to be corrected. You need to have these questions answered by your ent, or another ENT you trust.

Turbinates: The procedures do not cause the disease. But the disease can cause nasal symptoms.