Internal nasal dimensions of adults with nasal
					obstruction

This prospective study included 30 adults with complaints of nasal obstruction (NO) and SD + TH (n = 24), SD (n = 5) or TH (n = 1) seen by clinical examination. The cross-sectional areas of the three main dips of the rhinogram (CSA₁, CSA₂, CSA₃), the distance between them and the nostrils (dCSA₁, dCSA₂, dCSA₃), and the volumes of segments 1.0-3.2 cm (V₁), 3.3-6.4 cm (V₂), and 7.0-12.0 cm (V₃) were measured before and after nasal decongestion (DN). For analysis, right and left cross-sectional areas and volumes were added and mean dCSA was calculated.

RESULTS:

Mean values (standard deviation) before ND were: 0.83 ± 0.23 (CSA₁), 1.66 ± 0.52 (CSA₂), and 2.36 ± 0.77 (CSA₃) cm²; 2.19 ± 0.20 (dCSA₁), 4.01 ± 0.33 (dCSA₂), and 5.85 ± 0.37 (dCSA₃) cm; 2.77 ± 0.51 (V₁), 6.52 ± 1.99 (V₂), and 26.00 ± 9.62 (V₃) cm³; all values were lower than laboratory reference values (p < 0.05). ND led to proportionally greater increases of sectional areas and volumes in the NO group, suggesting an associated functional component. Individual analysis revealed 12 cases with normal results despite nasal obstruction.

CONCLUSION:

Most patients with structural nasal obstruction had results suggestive of nasal patency impairment in acoustic rhinometry.

acoustic rhinometry; nasal cavity; nasal obstruction; nasal septum; sphenoidal conchae

Variables	Pre-ND	Post-ND
CSA₁ (cm²)	1.08 ± 0.21	1.13 ± 0.17 [+5%]
CSA₂ (cm²)	1.95 ± 0.35	2.83 ± 0.40 [+45%]
CSA₃ (cm²)	2.85 ± 0.51	3,97 ± 0.70 [+39%]
dCSA₁ (cm)	2.12 ± 0.19	2.04 ± 0.17
dCSA₂ (cm)	3.82 ± 0.34	3.89 ± 0.35
dCSA₃ (cm)	5.74 ± 0.41	5.85 ± 0.51
V₁ (cm³)	3.37 ± 0.50	3.65 ± 0.42 [+8%]
V₂ (cm³)	7.95 ± 1.22	11.06 ± 1.70 [+39%]
V₃ (cm³)	35.34 ± 7.13	45.41 ± 8.06 [+29%]

Variables	Pre-ND	Post-ND
CSA₁ (cm²)	0.83 ± 0.23^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	0.97 ± 0.20^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values). [+17%]
CSA₂ (cm²)	1.66 ± 0.52^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	2.63 ± 0.57 [+58%]
CSA₃ (cm²)	2.36 ± 0.77^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	3.64 ± 0.76 [+54%]
dCSA₁ (cm)	2.19 ± 0.20^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	2.10 ± 0.26
dCSA₂ (cm)	4.01 ± 0.33^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	4.02 ± 0.30^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).
dCSA₃ (cm)	5.85 ± 0.37	5.96 ± 0.49
V₁ (cm³)	2.77 ± 0.51^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	3.26 ± 0.46^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values). [+18%]
V₂ (cm³)	6.52 ± 1.99^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	10.12 ± 1.80^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values). [+55%]
V₃ (cm³)	26.00 ± 9.62^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values).	36.58 ± 8.66^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values). [+41%]

Condition	Subgroup	CSA₁ (cm²)	CSA₂ (cm²)	CSA₃ (cm²)
Pre-ND	Normal CSA (n = 12)	0.96 ± 0.19^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values);	2.02 ± 0,41	2,83 ± 0,46
Pre-ND	Subnormal CSA (n = 18)	0.74 ± 0.21^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); ^# # p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients with normal CSA vs. nasal obstruction patients with subnormal CSA). [+6%]	1.43 ± 0.46^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); ^# # p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients with normal CSA vs. nasal obstruction patients with subnormal CSA).	2,04 ± 0,77^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); ^# # p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients with normal CSA vs. nasal obstruction patients with subnormal CSA).
Post-ND	Normal CSA (n = 12)	1.02 ± 0.18^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); [+27%]	2.67 ± 0.40 [+32%]	3,76 ± 0,41 [+33%]
Post-ND	Subnormal CSA (n = 18)	0.94 ± 0,21^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); [+27%]	2.61 ± 0.67 [+82%]	3,56 ± 0,92^* * p < 0.05 statistically significant difference (nasal obstruction patients vs. reference values); [+74%]

Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Sede da Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico Facial, Av. Indianópolia, 1287, 04063-002 São Paulo/SP Brasil, Tel.: (0xx11) 5053-7500, Fax: (0xx11) 5053-7512 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista@aborlccf.org.br

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