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Nasal cavity airflow: Comparing laser doppler anemometry and computational fluid dynamic simulations.
M Berger1, M Pillei2, A Mehrle3
1Dept. of Environmental, Process & Energy Engineering, MCI - The Entrepreneurial School, Austria; Univ. Hospital of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University Innsbruck, Austria.
Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology
|September 5, 2020
Summary
Objective parameters for breathing conditions are limited, often relying on surgeon judgment. This study compares laser Doppler anemometry and computational fluid dynamics simulations to develop better decision-support tools for nasal surgery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Objective parameters for assessing nasal breathing are lacking.
- Surgical decisions for nasal septum correction often depend on subjective surgeon assessment.
- Developing quantitative methods is crucial for improving surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for assessing nasal airflow.
- To identify objective parameters for evaluating nasal breathing conditions.
- To support surgical decision-making in nasal septum correction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) on a 3D printed nasal model.
- Performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, including lattice Boltzmann (LB) and finite volume methods (FVM).
- Simulations were based on a patient CT dataset with septal deviation and involved geometric deformations to mimic surgical changes.
Main Results:
- Compared LDA measurements with CFD simulations (LB and FVM) of airflow velocity vector fields.
- Achieved a root-mean-square velocity error of 0.071 between LDA and LB simulations near the nasal valve.
- Observed that geometric changes similarly impacted both LDA measurements and CFD simulations.
Conclusions:
- LDA and CFD (specifically LB method) show comparable results in assessing nasal airflow.
- These methods can provide objective parameters to support surgical decisions for nasal septum correction.
- Quantitative analysis of nasal airflow holds promise for improving surgical planning and outcomes.
