Use of Nasal Valve Stent with Anterior Rhinomanometry to Quantitate Nasal Valve Obstruction

Some patients have increased resistance in the nasal valve area that is static and does not collapse. Anterior rhinomanometry is unable to document nasal valve disorders in these instances. A simple stent was devised to open the nasal valve area during anterior mask rhinomanometry. Three groups of subjects were studied with and without the stent. These groups were 1) patients with anatomic findings of nasal valve obstruction, 2) normal control subjects, and 3) normal control subjects with artificially created midseptal nasal obstructions. At peak inspiration the median decrease in resistance with the stent in place when compared to nonstented values was 0.91 Pa·cm^-3·s^-1 for group 1, 0.27 Pa·cm^-3·s^-1 for group 2, and 0.25 Pa·cm^-3·s^-1 for group 3. Comparisons using the nonparametric Wilcoxon test had a significance level of p < .001. An easily fashioned, well-tolerated nasal valve stent can be readily incorporated in anterior mask rhinomanometry technique. With use of the stent, nasal valve obstruction can be accurately diagnosed and quantitated.