Lang Christian, Grützenmacher Stefan, Mlynski Barbara, Plontke Stefan, Mlynski Gunter
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Walther-Rathenau-Strasse 43-45, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany.
Laryngoscope. 2003 Feb;113(2):284-9. doi: 10.1097/00005537-200302000-00016.
Cyclic congestion and decongestion in the two nasal cavities is seen in connection with the respiratory function of the nose. The turbulent behavior of nasal airflow is a prerequisite for adequate contact of inspired air particles with the mucosa. The aim of this study was to gain insight into this turbulent behavior of nasal airflow during the nasal cycle.
The nasal cycle in 10 healthy human subjects was investigated using endoscopic imaging, rhinoresistometry, and acoustic rhinometry every 20 minutes over a time period of up to 15 hours. The following parameters were recorded for each nasal cavity: airflow resistance, hydraulic diameter, friction coefficient lambda as an indicator for the wall configuration triggering turbulence, transition from laminar to turbulent flow, and the minimal cross-sectional areas.
In addition to the known cyclic change of flow resistance and nasal width, a periodic change in the turbulence behavior was observed. In the resting phase, mainly laminar flow was found. During the working phase, the onset of turbulence occurred already at low flow velocities. The increase of turbulence during the working phase is caused by the increase in cross-sectional area in the anterior cavum due to decongestion of the mucosa of the head of the inferior turbinate and the septal tuberculum.
Rhinoresistometry and acoustic rhinometry complement each other. The combination of the two methods provides insight into the functional changes during the nasal cycle and into nasal physiology in general. The authors therefore advocate a combination of the two methods for functional evaluation of the nasal airway.
两个鼻腔的周期性充血和充血消退与鼻子的呼吸功能相关。鼻气流的湍流特性是吸入空气颗粒与黏膜充分接触的前提条件。本研究的目的是深入了解鼻周期中鼻气流的这种湍流特性。
对10名健康受试者的鼻周期进行研究，在长达15小时的时间段内，每隔20分钟使用内镜成像、鼻阻力测量法和声反射鼻测量法进行检测。记录每个鼻腔的以下参数：气流阻力、水力直径、作为引发湍流的壁结构指标的摩擦系数λ、从层流到湍流的转变以及最小横截面积。
除了已知的气流阻力和鼻腔宽度的周期性变化外，还观察到湍流特性的周期性变化。在静息期，主要发现层流。在工作期，在低流速时就已出现湍流。工作期湍流的增加是由于下鼻甲头部和鼻中隔结节黏膜充血消退导致前鼻腔横截面积增加所致。
鼻阻力测量法和声反射鼻测量法相辅相成。这两种方法的结合可深入了解鼻周期中的功能变化以及一般的鼻生理学。因此，作者主张将这两种方法结合用于鼻气道的功能评估。
