ACOUSTIC RHINOMETRIC EVALUATION of the NORMAL NOSE
İnönü Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, KBB Anabilim Dalı, Malatya, Türkiye Objectives: Since local reference values are of some value, it was aimed to determine the acoustic rhinometric data of the normal noses without nasal obstruction symptoms.Methods and Materials: The study group was consisted of 202 nasal cavities of 101 anterior rhinoscopically normal individuals presented with other than nasal diseases and free of nasal obstruction complaint. The age range was 17 to 55 years (mean 25.34±7.65). The acoustic rhinometric evaluation was performed on both nasal cavities, before and after medical decongestion.
Results: The first minimal mean cross-sectional area (MCA1) was found 0.47 cm2; where the second one (MCA2) was 0.55 cm2. The mean volume of the first two cm of the cavity (Vol1) was revealed as 1.54 cm3 and the mean volume between second and fifth cm (Vol2) was 3.38 cm3. Pharmacological decongestion was affected MCA2 and Vol2 positively. Because of the statistically significant high body-mass index, the male subjects were found having higher MCA1 and Vol1 values. The volumes of the nasal cavity after topical decongestion were equal of those physiologically decongested sides of the nose because of the nasal cycle.
Conclusion: The acoustic rhinometric data of the normal nose presented in this study could be used as reference in the evaluations of the nasal pathologies.
Keywords : Acoustic rhinometry, nasal cycle, nasal valve, inferior turbinate