Measuring of the piriform aperture in humans with 3D-SSD-CT-reconstructions

Form and width of the osseous nasal pyramid exert significant impact on the effectiveness of nasal respiration. In planning a corrective rhinoplasty with osteotomies precise anatomic knowledge of piriform aperture can be of great benefit. Using 3D-reconstructions on the basis of spiral CTs of the paranasal sinuses the piriform aperture was measured for the first time in vivo. A collective of 116 patients from the Göttingen region in Lower Saxony (Central Germany) was examined in this way. For the upper width of the piriform aperture a mean value of 15.7 mm, for the lower width a mean value of 23.1 mm was found. This data correlates very well with the previously acquired data from human skulls. The spectrum of anatomic variations of the piriform aperture is discussed in regard to gender, age and race specific factors. 3D-reconstruction of spiral CTs can be recommended as the ideal preoperative examination previous to corrective rhinoplastic surgery.