[The role of acoustic rhinometry in the evaluation of the volume of nasopharynx before and after adenoidectomy].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the type of acoustic rhinometry curve in different kinds of nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases and the role of acoustic rhinometry in the evaluation of the changes of the volume of nasopharynx before and after adenoidectomy.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-one patients with nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases, including rhinitis, nasal polyps, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, palatoschisis, atrophic rhinitis, adenoid vegetation, perforation of nasal septum, carcinoma of nasopharynx, and stricture of nasal limen, were measured with acoustic rhinometry. Meanwhile, 15 patients with adenoid vegetation were measured before and after adenoidectomy, the changes in volume recorded by acoustic rhinometry were compared with the adenoid volume obtained by the method of displacement.


RESULTS
Acoustic rhinometry curve can be divided into normal and abnormal curves and the abnormal curves can be divided into four types according to the site of changes. Acoustic rhinometry curve altered with the changes in character, degree and site of nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases and could return to normal after surgery or medical treatment. The volume of nasopharynx of adenoid vegetation patients was significantly smaller than that of the normal control and it rose significantly and became closed to normal after adenoidectomy. The volume of adenoid and the calculated changes in volume of the nasopharynx was found to be interrelated and highly significant(r = 0.87, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that acoustic rhinometry curve is a useful method in the assistant diagnosis and judgment of therapeutic effectiveness of many kinds of nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases and can provide reference for the evaluation of the volume of adenoids.
Wang
Y
Y
Third Clinical College, Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun 130031.
Zheng
J
J
Dong
Z
Z
D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000473:pathology; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000473:pathology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000473:pathology*; D013016:Sound