10. Four-phase rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry in the evaluation of nasal patency of Chinese with nasal septal deviation

摘要

Rhinologists have long been searching for reliable methods to objectively evaluate nasal patency in patients with nasal complaints. Generally speaking, rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, and nasal peak flow, as well as nasal spirometry are all valuable objective instruments for the evaluation of subjective nasal obstruction . While acoustic rhinometry provides information on the geometry of the nasal cavity through a static procedure, by measuring the cross-sectional area and nasal volume (NV) as a function of distance from the nostril, rhinomanometry measures nasal resistance to respiratory airflow through a dynamic procedure, by calculating nasal airway resistance in expiration and inspiration at different reference pressures according to the formula Ap/AV. Both of these objective methods of measurement have been validated, and comparative studies have indicated correlations between nasal airflow resistances and nasal airway volumes in both healthy controls and patients complaining of nasal obstruction.