Computational fluid dynamics simulation to compare large volume irrigation and continuous spraying during nasal...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Rhinology

Background:

• Nasal irrigation is a recognized treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis and post-operative care.
• Current irrigation methods lack standardized guidelines for optimal performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize nasal irrigation efficiency using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• To compare the physical parameters of large-volume (manual/gravity) versus small-volume continuous spray irrigation.

Main Methods:

• A 3D sinonasal model was created from CT scans.
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed using Navier-Stokes equations.
• The mesh grid comprised 9.6 × 10^6 cells for detailed analysis.

Main Results:

• Large-volume irrigation (15 mL/s) rapidly covered extensive areas (136-310 cm²) with high shear stress and prolonged contact time.
• Continuous spraying (3 mL/s) covered less surface area (46.6 cm²) with lower shear stress and shorter contact time.
• Wetted surface area was significantly greater with large-volume irrigation (135.4 cm² gravity, 113.9 cm² manual) compared to spraying (46.6 cm²).

Conclusions:

• CFD simulations provide objective parameters to evaluate nasal irrigation effectiveness.
• Large-volume nasal irrigation demonstrates superior coverage and physical parameters compared to continuous spraying.