[Examination of upper airway function using the dew point hygrometer with semiconductor detector].
The nasal mucosa with blood capillary network has a remarkable role in respiration process. The most important nose functions are heating and humidifying to optimal level of reaching throat and lungs air and partly absorption of humidity and temperature from expired air. Variations of humidifying and heating processes can invoke some upper airways disorders. The paper presents dew point hygrometer which was specially design for laryngological purposes. The hygrometer can measure dynamic changes of humidity in upper airways. The device is fully automated, easy to operate and can communicate with external personal computer. Database application allows saving patient data with archive examination results and can display them easily. During ongoing clinical tests, still increasing amount of data will allow precisely investigate correlations between humidifying process and some diseases. The main advantage of the device is a short response time on humidity changing. The number of readings (detections) can reach 5 readings per second (slightly depending on humidity level) which is much faster than in available on the market hygrometers with sorption sensors. The paper also presents some results obtained in group of healthy volunteers and one patient with tracheostomy The tests figured out actual humidity in certain parts of upper airways: nose, throat, trachea in breathing cycles under various surrounding conditions. The constructed hygrometer can be used for air humidity measurement in upper airways during some diseases and for evaluation of an influence of some drugs and environmental conditions changing on air upper ways mucosa.
Weremczuk
Jerzy
J
Politechnika Warszawska, Instytut Systemów Elektronicznych, Zakład Systemów Pomiarowych i Optoelektroniki.
Paczesny
Daniel
D
Rapiejko
Piotr
P
Jachowicz
Ryszard
R
Jurkiewicz
Dariusz
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D009666:Nose / Q000502:physiology*; D012666:Semiconductors