Nasal Airflow Changes in Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis in Human Anatomic Specimens.

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have looked at the impact of dorsal preservation rhinoplasty on nasal airflow, specifically the internal nasal valve, with mixed results.

OBJECTIVE

To use computational fluid dynamics to assess the impact of dorsal preservation rhinoplasty on nasal airflow in a human anatomic model.

METHODS

This was a comparative study using anatomic dissection of four fresh human anatomic specimens using a cone beam CT scanner to assess various surgical interventions (septoplasty, if necessary, and dorsal preservation rhinoplasty) on nasal airflow.

RESULTS

Overall, there was a trend of decreased nasal resistance across septoplasty and dorsal preservation rhinoplasty techniques. Dorsal preservation rhinoplasty decreased nasal resistance for all human anatomic specimens, except for one.

CONCLUSION

There is evidence of reduction in nasal resistance in a human anatomic specimen study with dorsal preservation rhinoplasty techniques, which can vary, in part, by the orientation of upper lateral cartilage anatomy at the apical internal nasal valve.