A nasal prosthesis for treatment of nasal airway obstruction.

Surgery is not always the best approach for immediate resolution of nasal airway problems. In some instances, surgery may be deferred, unnecessary, contraindicated or frankly refused by the patient. For some of these patients, the use of a simple intranasal prosthesis to enhance the passage of air through the nasal valve region is beneficial. Five patients meeting these criteria were fitted with a prosthesis and carefully evaluated pre- and postinsertion with rhinomanometry. Other situations are discussed where such a prosthetic device might be helpful.