title: The effect of external nasal dilators as measured by acoustic rhinometry.
abstract: The effect of a commercially available external nasal dilator, Breathe Right (CNS, Inc., Minneapolis, MN) was measured with acoustic rhinometry in 11 healthy subjects. The cross-sectional areas--1, 2 and 3--and nasal volume--from 0 to 6 cm2--were obtained in four situations: 1) pre-decongested with no dilator, 2) pre-decongested with dilator, 3) post-decongested without dilator, and 4) post-decongested with dilator. The device significantly increased cross-sectional area (CSA) 1, which corresponds to the nasal valve area in both the pre-decongestant and post-decongestant states (p = .0001 for both). The appliance also significantly increased the nasal volume in the pre-decongested state (p = .0002), but was not significant for the post-decongested state (p = .0707). The appliance caused a significantly greater increase in CSA 1 as compared to that achieved with decongestion alone. The results of this study indicate that the Breathe Right nasal dilator may be used ot increase the area of the nasal valve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mamikoglu
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Corey
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D009296:Nasal Cavity