Table 9 A summary of clinical implications
From: Nasal airflow of patient with septal deviation and allergy rhinitis
Division | Standardized model by Lee et al. [31] | Patient’s model |
|---|---|---|
Nasal airway surface | A smooth and clean airway | Lots of creases on the surface as there are many growths in the nasal airway due to allergy rhinitis; Many disconnections that lead to difficulties in breathing. |
Cross-sectional areas | Good nasal cross-sectional areas | Averagely 58% smaller cross-sectional areas than the standardized model. |
Smallest cross-sectional area at the nasal valve and the largest cross-sectional area in the middle turbinate. | ||
Volume | Good nasal volume | Forty-eight percent less volume than the standardized model |
Nasal pressure | Pressure drop increases gradually throughout the nasal airway due to the wall shear stress; Wall shear stress during inspiration is predominantly higher in the anterior region; Inlet pressure has always been the highest, followed by the vestibule, nasal valve, middle turbinate, nasopharynx, and finally, the nasal outlet with the lowest pressure. | |
Velocity | Good nasal velocity magnitude | The patient’s model’s overall velocity magnitude is much higher than the standardized model, ranged from 70% to 128% of differences and have an average of 99% higher velocity than the standardized model; Septal deviation and allergy rhinitis cause the least effect on the middle turbinate; High velocity at the nasopharynx does not cause any inconvenience for the patient. |
The lowest differences in velocity are at the middle turbinate; The highest velocity difference occurs at the nasopharynx to clean the inspired air of pollutant particles and protect the delicate lower respiratory tract. | ||
Velocity contour | The flow distributions for both laminar and turbulent are almost the same at the beginning; Turbulent flow distribution has more radial flow after the middle turbinate. | |
Shape | Excellent oval shape for both the vestibule and nasal valve; Middle turbinate is almost symmetry for the left and right side. | Has irregular and inconsistent shapes; Shape irregularity at the septal deviation that caused the air to enter unevenly; Middle turbinate is narrower and unsymmetrical. |