Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Nasal Respiration and Patency in Patients with Deformity of the Nasal Septum by Mladina ClaSSIFICATION: An Acoustic Rhinometric Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The external nasal dilator (END) was designed to improve nasal respiration by expanding the nasal valve area and authors have proven in previous reports that the END improves nasal respiration and patency in patient with DSN. The present study attempts to assess the different effects of the END on nasal respiration and patency in DSN patients with dysfunction of the nasal valve area and in those with dysfunction of some other areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty-six male patients (ages 18-49, average age 31.5) without any other nasal or sinus disease and who are not classified as Mladina types 1, 4 or 7 were used as subjects. The type of DSN was determined by Mladina classification. Those with dysfunction of the nasal valve area (Type 2) were classited as Group A and those with dysfunction of some other anatomical area as Group B (Type 3, 5, 6). The subjective sensation of nasal respiration, average minimum cross-sectional area (MCA) and nasal volume (V5: nasal volume from 0-5 cm) of all subjects were assessed and compared before and after the application of an END. RESULTS: Subjective sensation of nasal respiration, MCA and V, improved sign ificantly in both groups after the application of an END, but there were no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although an F,ND significantly improves nasal respiration and patency, this effect does not show any significant differences between patients with dysfunction of the nasal valve area and those with dysfunction of some other anatomical areas. This is because ENDs equally affect all Types of septal deformity.

Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Korean Adults: A Polysomnographic Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It was reported that external nasal dilators (ENDs) can reduce snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in white people by dilating the nasal valve area and then, improving nasal breathing. However, there are no available data on Asians, whose geometry of nasal cavities is different from that of white people. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ENDs on snoring and OSA in Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve simple snorers (3 female and 9 males, aged 19 to 44 years) and 35 OSA patients (35 males, aged 22 to 65 years) without nasal diseases were included in this study. Polysomnography including measurement of snoring intensity was performed at two separate nights, one with and the other without an END. Averaged maximum snoring intensity, apnea index (AI), respiratory disturbance index (RDI), ratio of deep sleep (stage 3 and 4) to total sleep time, and minimum arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) with and without an END were measured and compared. RESULTS: Snoring intensity was reduced in 6 (50.0%) of 12 simple snorers and 16 (45.7%) of 35 OSA patients. In overall, snoring improved significantly in both groups. In OSA patients, AI and RDI improved significantly, but ratio of deep sleep time and minimum SaO2 did not. There were no significant correlations between change of snoring intensity and change of AI or RDI in OSA patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ENDs are helpful to improvement of snoring and respiration during sleep, but the sleep stages remain almost unchanged by ENDs in Korean adults with snoring and/or OSA.

Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Nasal Respiration and Patency in Patients with Deformity of the Nasal Septum: An Acoustic Rhinometric Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Some types of deformities of the nasal septum (DNSs) interfere with the nasal valve function. External nasal dilators (ENDs) were developed to improve the nasal airway by mechanically dilating the nasal valve. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ENDs on nasal respiration and patency in patients with DNS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with DNS (37 males and 17 females, aged 18 to 46 years) without other sinonasal diseases were included in this study. All subjects were required to assess their own sensation of nasal respiration on a 100 mm visual analog scale. Minimal cross-sectional areas (MCAs) and volumes of 0 to 5 cm from the nostril (V 5s) of both nasal cavities were measured by acoustic rhinometry, respectively. All measurements before application of an END were compared with those 5 minutes after application. RESULTS: The subjective sensation of nasal respiration improved significantly after application of an END in both male and female. The END increased MCA and V5 significantly in both sexes. However, there were no significant correlations between changes in the subjective and objective parameters. CONCLUSION: ENDs offer an effective, nonsurgical therapeutic approach in the management of DNS by improving nasal respiration and by increasing MCA and nasal cavity volume. However, it should be kept in mind that this improvement in nasal patency does not always coincide with the improvement in subjective sensation of nasal respiration.

Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Nasal Respiration and Patency in HealthyKorean Adults: An Acoustic Rhinometric Study / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although physiological effects of external nasal dilators (ENDs) were recently reported on white and black people, there are no available data on Asians. Nasal geometry is affected by many factors such as race, age, or sex. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ENDs on nasal respiration and patency in healthy Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred healthy Korean adults (50 females and 50 males, aged 20 to 39 years) without nasal complaints, history of sinonasal surgery, nor major structural abnormalities of the nose were recruited. All subjects were required to assess their own sensation of nasal respiration on a 100 mm visual analog scale. Minimal cross-sectional areas (MCAs) and volumes from 0 cm to 5 cm from the nostril (V5s) of both nasal cavities were measured by acoustic rhinometry and added together to obtain the total MCA and V5, respectively. All measurements before application of an END were compared with those 5 minutes after application. RESULTS: The sensation of nasal respiration improved significantly after application of an END in both female and male. The END increased MCA and V5 significantly in both sexes. These acoustic rhinometric changes resulted in 21.1% (male) and 20.5% (female) increment in MCA and 10.0% (male) and 12.5% (female) increment in V5, respectively. However, there were no significant correlations between changes in the subjective and objective parameters. CONCLUSION: ENDs significantly improve the subjective sensation of nasal respiration and increase MCA and nasal cavity volume in healthy Korean adults. However, this improvement in nasal patency does not always coincide with the improvement in the subjective feeling of nasal respiration.