Paradoxical nasal obstruction: Analysis of characteristics using acoustic rhinometry

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics Of acoustic rhinometric parameters in patients with paradoxical nasal obstruction. Methods: The medical records of 1844 patients who had nasal septal deviation between 1998 and 2004 at our institute were assessed retrospectively. The authors selected 31 subjects for the experimental group and 256 subjects for the control group. Minimal cross-sectional area (MCA), volume, and degree of mucosal change at baseline and decongested phase were analyzed. Results: MCA of the convex side in the baseline state for the experimental (paradoxical) group is wider than that for the control group (p = 0.005). Degree of mucosal change of the experimental group is smaller than that of the control group in the convex side (p = 0.001). Other parameters are similar for the two groups. Conclusion: Patients with paradoxical nasal obstruction might be explained by less degree of mucosal change in the concave side of the nasal cavity during nasal cycle than the control group.