Partitioning model nasal airway resistance into its nasal cavity and velopharyngeal components.

Abstract

Nasal respiration may be assessed as part of the diagnosis and management of persons with orofacial growth disturbances. It is often evaluated by calculating nasal airway resistance. Traditional methods for measuring nasal airway resistance do not provide information about nasal cavity versus velopharyngeal resistance components. A method that partitions nasal airway resistance into its nasal cavity and velopharyngeal components would provide a localized measurement of airway obstruction useful in evaluating the effects of surgical reconstruction of the velopharynx, enlarged adenoids, adenoidectomy, and nasal cavity obstructions along the nasal airway. A modeling project is presented delineating a method for partitioning nasal airway resistance into its nasal cavity and velopharyngeal components.