Video-endoscopy and digital image analysis of the nasal valve area

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of digital image analysis of video-endoscopic images of the valve area to study changes in cross-sections of the nasal valve area before and after nasal surgery. Fifty patients scheduled for septoplasty or septorhinoplasty were included. Successful recordings of the valve area and digitally calculated cross-sections of the nasal valve area served as main outcome measures. First, various endoscopes (rigid 0 degrees - and 25 degrees -endoscopes and fibreoptic 0 degrees -endoscope) were tested and video-endoscopy was standardised in 39 patients. Second, preoperative and postoperative images of the nasal valve area in 11 patients with obstruction of the nasal valve area were digitally analysed and compared. In these patients, a significant widening of the valve area could be shown postoperatively. We conclude that digital image analysis of the nasal valve area can be helpful in the measurement of cross-sections of the nasal valve area before and after nasal surgical procedures in selected patients.

Growth of Nasal and Laryngeal Airways in Children: Implications in Breathing and Inhaled Aerosol Dynamics

“…Very few studies have considered the development of upper airway morphology. 3 Clinical techniques for evaluating nasal pathology include visual analog scales, 4 rhinostereometry, 5 video-endoscopy, 6 rhinomanometry, 7 and acoustic rhinometry. 8 A combination of the above techniques is usually employed in practice, based on the specific performance of each technique.…”

Axial computed tomography evaluation of the internal nasal valve correlates with clinical valve narrowing and patient complaint

“…Aside from the physical exam, which remains the current gold standard, various other modalities have been employed to evaluate the nasal valves and nasal airflow. These include rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, endoscopic evaluation, and computed tomography (CT) evaluation . CT imaging is unique in that it is both objective and universally available, and already has proven useful in evaluating the nasal airway .…”

Is preoperative paranasal sinus computed tomography necessary for every patient undergoing septoplasty?

“…Suh et al reported that PNS CT is superior to NE for the evaluation of the internal nasal valve. Although the assessment of the internal nasal valve was out of our study, we think that requesting a CT is not necessary for the evaluation of the internal nasal valve, because sufficient information can be obtained by rhinomanometry and NE …”