Measurement of the so-called "Nasal Valve" in Japanese Subjects

ABSTRACT

Because Mongoloids have been considered to have a wider nasal valve angle than Caucasians, fewer Japanese patients experience nasal obstruction due to stenotic nasal valve. However, there have been no studies measuring the nasal valve angle of Mongoloids. Accordingly, one aim of this study is to measure the nasal valve angle in Japanese subjects and obtain its standard value. Another aim is to measure the cross-sectional area at the nasal valve area. One hundred and sixteen healthy adult Japanese volunteers showing no symptoms or histories of nasal disease participated in this study. Each subject's nose was scanned, by endoscopy, and images of the subjects' nasal valve area were recorded using a video camera. The nasal valve angle was measured in video-printed photographs. Acoustic rhinometry was performed in each case. The subject's mean nasal valve angle was 28.9+/-6.3 degree, ranging from 16 to 45. The mean cross-sectional area at the I-notch was 0.95+/-0.16 cm2 . No relationship was found between the nasal valve angle and the cross-sectional area around the valve.