Rhinomanometry has been widely accepted and used as an objective method to assess nasal patency for more than two decades. Much knowledge was obtained with its application in nasal pathophysiology and measuring techniques are still an issue for continuous improvement. Background, concept and current techniques, past, present and future, reliability, indications and contraindications are discussed in details. Special attention is paid to problems of definition, correlation between rhinomanometric data and subjective sensation of nasal patency and calibration. It is concluded that rhinomanometry applied together with acoustic rhinometry gives the most reliable objective information on nasal patency in an authentic rhinologic laboratory.
Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel