Currently, several methods of objective assessment of nasal cavity’s aerodynamics for use in clinical and research practices have been suggested. Each of them has certain drawbacks, limiting their use for studying of nasal cavity’s aerodynamics.
OBJECTIVE
To improve the technique for studying of nasal cavity’s aerodynamics by developing high-precision method to measure the flow of inspired and expired air at a selected nasal cavity’s point.
METHODS
Instrument, completed with air flow sensors, which measured the volume velocity of air flow at a prescribed point of nasal cavity, was developed at the 1st stage and technique of study was determined. The possibilities of the created instrument for studying of local nasal cavity’s aerodynamics in healthy patients (n=10) and in patients with deviated nasal septum (n=10) were assessed at the 2nd stage. The volume velocity of air flow at a certain points of nasal vestibule and at the level of the anterior border of inferior nasal concha were registered for all patients.
RESULTS
New hardware and software system and the technique of its use for study of the volume velocity of air flow at a prescribed point of nasal cavity in real time with high precision (0.001 cm3/min), that is impossible with application of other known techniques, were presented. While the examination of nasal cavity’s aerodynamics in healthy patients the rhinoflowmetry’s rates of normal nasal breathing, which differed from the rhinoflowmetry’s rates in patients with deviated nasal septum were obtained, that indicates the differential possibilities of developed instrument.
CONCLUSION
Selective rhinoflowmetry is considered as a promising method of examination that will allow to expand knowledge in the nasal breathing’s physiology, as well as to objectify the influence of intranasal structures’ anatomy on the distribution of air flows in nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx in addition to current methods.
