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Published on: June 20, 2018
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Computational fluid dynamics calculations in inferior turbinate surgery: a cohort study
Jaakko Ormiskangas1,2, Olli Valtonen3,4, Teemu Harju3,4
1Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. jaakko.ormiskangas@tuni.fi.
Summary
Inferior turbinate surgery reduces nasal airflow wall shear forces. Changes in these forces correlate with patient-reported nasal obstruction, suggesting computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can evaluate airflow post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is a common cause of nasal obstruction.
- Nasal surgery, including turbinate reduction, aims to improve airflow and patient quality of life.
- Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) offers a method to simulate and analyze airflow patterns within the nasal cavity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of inferior turbinate surgery on nasal airflow using CFD simulations.
- To correlate CFD-derived airflow parameters with patient-reported outcomes and objective measurements.
- To assess the utility of CFD in assessing nasal airflow changes after surgery.
Main Methods:
- Patient-specific CFD models were created from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images for 25 patients.
- Steady inspiratory airflow and heat transfer simulations were performed pre- and post-inferior turbinate surgery.
- CFD results were compared with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for nasal obstruction, Glasgow Health Status Inventory, and acoustic rhinometry.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant decrease in total wall shear force was observed in the operated inferior turbinate regions post-surgery (p < 0.01).
- Changes in subjective nasal obstruction (VAS scores) showed a statistically significant correlation with alterations in wall shear force (p = 0.04).
- No significant correlation was found between CFD results and acoustic rhinometry or Glasgow Health Status Inventory.
Conclusions:
- Inferior turbinate surgery leads to reduced total wall shear force, indicating altered airflow dynamics.
- The correlation between changes in wall shear force and subjective obstruction severity highlights the clinical relevance of CFD.
- CFD simulations show potential as a valuable tool for evaluating nasal airflow and surgical outcomes.
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