[Body plethysmography studies in patients with obstructed nasal respiration before and following corrective surgery of the nasal septum].

Abstract

The nasal resistance of 28 patients with nasal septum deviation was measured before and after septum correction according to Cottle by means of body plethysmography. Clinical state according to clinical state history and body plethysmography results before and after surgery are compared by means of a standardised measuring unit. There was statistical significance for improvement of nasal ventilation after surgery in all three parameters. An analysis of the discrepancy between history, clinical state and rhinomanometry was made. History and rhinomanometry correlated closely. They seemed to be the most important parameters to determine nasal complaints. 30 volunteers with normal breathing function of the nose were examined. The normal resistance values of both nasal cavities are 0.31 kPa/l/sec. before and 0.28 kPa/l/sec after shrinkage of the nasal mucosa. The normal values of the nasal airflow of the entire nose were compared with the measurements of the patient group.