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The Virtual Nose: Assessment of Static Nasal Airway Obstruction Using Computational Simulations and 3D-Printed Models
Alex W N Reid, Dip Hand Chen1,2, Haoxiang Wen2
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cambridge University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine
|April 27, 2021
Summary
Virtual noses accurately predict nasal airway obstruction outcomes. Computational fluid dynamics simulations on 3D-printed models show strong correlation with experimental measurements, validating this approach for surgical planning.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Objective assessment of nasal airway obstruction (NAO) pre- and post-surgery is challenging.
- Virtual noses offer a potential solution for predicting surgical outcomes.
- Current methods for NAO assessment lack detailed, objective data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate airflow predictions from virtual noses against experimental measurements.
- To assess the accuracy of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in virtual airway models.
- To compare virtual nose predictions with data from 3D-printed patient models.
Main Methods:
- Virtual nose models were created from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans.
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations evaluated airflow characteristics.
- 3D-printed models were created and instrumented for experimental pressure measurements.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation was found between numerical predictions and experimental measurements.
- Nasal airway obstruction (NAO) in the nasal valve increased wall pressure and shear stress.
- Nasal airway obstruction (NAO) led to increased incremental nasal resistance.
Conclusions:
- Airflow predictions in virtual noses correlate well with experimental data from 3D-printed replicas.
- Virtual nose models provide a reliable method for assessing nasal airway obstruction (NAO).
- This validation supports the use of virtual noses in surgical planning for nasal airway obstruction (NAO).
