Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling Reveals Nonlinear Airway Stress during Trachea Development

Abstract

Normative trachea dimensions and aerodynamic information during development was collected to establish clinical benchmarks and showed that airway development seems to outpace respiratory demands. Infants and toddlers' trachea exhibit higher aerodynamic stress that significantly decreases by teenage years. This implies large airway pathology in younger children may have a more substantial clinical impact.

Keywords: airflow metrics; airway modeling; pediatric airway physiology.