The Shape of Expiratory Nasal Flow

Chung, Seung Kyu; Dhong, Hun Jong; Koh, Seok Joo

Abstract

The characteristics of the expiratory nasal flow consist of three parts - amount, content and shape. By far, most reports are confined only to the nasal resistance, nasal pressure, temperature, humidity and gas concentration of the expiratory nasal flow. There are few reports on the shape of the expiratory nasal flow. We aimed to visualize the expiratory nasal flow and to see whether there is any correlation between the shape of the expiratory nasal flow and the shape of the external nose. For each seven normal adult males and females, the shape of the expiratory flow was checked with infrared imaging thermometer placed on the frontal and sagittal planes. We also measured the external nasal indices and compared them with the shape of the nasal flow. We could see the shape of the expiratory nasal flow through the infrared imaging thermometer in real time. The mean of the angles formed by each side of the expiratory nasal flows on the frontal plane was 39 degrees, and the frontal angle showed good correlation with the shape of the external nose. The real-time visualization of the expiratory nasal flow, conducted with the infrared imaging thermometer, was an absolutely non-invasive technique and may be used to investigate nasal functions.