Persistent Postsurgical Idiopathic Rhinitis After Sedation Utilizing Supplemental Oxygen Via Nasal Cannula

This case describes an uncommon complication of postprocedural unilateral nonallergic rhinitis in a patient who received moderate intravenous sedation (IV) for an elective oral/periodontal surgical procedure. Some authors suggest this potential problem is underreported, and may not be as rare as the literature implies. The patient, a 48-year old female, received supplemental oxygen and ventilation monitoring via a CO2/O2 nasal cannula during the sedation/surgery. The procedure was completed uneventfully, but postoperatively (PO) she developed persistent rhinitis, sternutation, and rhinorrhea that peaked at day 4 PO, and then slowly started to resolve until symptoms completely gone at day 13 PO. Although the patient was in no distress, the symptoms being continual for longer than a week did interfere with her daily activities. While the rarity of this atypical reaction may be in question, practitioners who utilize sedation should be aware of this possible distressful condition and counsel patients on the risk.