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Introduction
Nasal obstruction leads to increased resistance to nasal airflow.1,2One of the most common aetiologies of nasal obstruction is nasal septal deformity.3A subjective feeling of obstruction to nasal airflow is a common symptom associated with septal deviation.2
The discrepancy between nasal obstruction symptoms and clinical findings is reflected in the poor correlation between subjective nasal obstruction symptoms and objective measurements of nasal airflow.4Objective methods of measuring nasal function have been developed and established.5An objective measurement of the severity of septal deviation would help the surgeon to select appropriate patients for surgical treatment, and could also be used to assess the effectiveness of surgery.2Rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry are currently the best methods for objective assessment of nasal obstruction.6Many studies have investigated the usefulness of portable spirometers to assess the severity of septal deviation.2Recent reports have demonstrated the possibility of quantifying nasal airflow in terms of nasal partitioning ratio, determined by rhinomanometry and spirometry using a portable spirometer.7This method assesses inspiratory nasal airflow only, not expiratory airflow.
Materials and methods
Studies based on the nasal cycle are difficult because multiple measurements of nasal patency need to be made over many hours. There is a great need for a simple instrument that can be used for studies away from the clinical laboratory. The spirometer is recognised as being simple to use for both the investigator and the patient.
The present study applied the following exclusion criteria: allergic rhinitis, nasal valve collapse, conchae bullosa, polypoid turbinate and nasopharyngeal masses. These were identified from the clinical history and via clinical and paraclinical examinations, including paranasal computed tomography (CT) without contrast, which was performed in all patients to detect anatomical abnormalities.
A total of 196 subjects were enrolled in the study, after informed consent had been obtained. A clinical trial was designed and conducted, and data were analysed.
A Fukuda-STN 95 spirometer (Fukuda Denshi, Tokyo, Japan) was fitted with a nasal adaptor for each nasal passage during inspiration.
Before each...