Objective: To investigate the anatomical influence of the hypertrophic inferior turbinate on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of unilateral hypertrophic inferior turbinate nasal cavity, and to analyze the bilateral detailed nasal airflow simulations under both inspiratory and expiratory phases in CFD model.
Method: One male volunteer troubled with unilateral hypertrophic inferior turbinate accepted CT scan. CFD model was built by CT scans through Simplant 10.0 and ANSYS ICEM. Fluent 6.3.26 simulated the airflow of both nasal cavity in breathing rates 200 ml/s.
Result: 1) In infraturbinal region, the cross-section area (CSA) of the nasal cavity with hypertrophic inferior turbinate was smaller than that in healthy side and the average area difference between two sides was 1.62 cm2. 2) In both inspiration and expiration phases, the hypertrophic infraturbinal produced a markable reduction in intranasal pressures drop along the full length of the infraturbinal region. The volumetric flow rate in the hypertrophic infraturbinal side was 50 ml/s, which equalled to one third of that in healthy side; Mean air speed in the anterior valve region was estimated to be 0.57 m/s at hypertrophic infraturbinal side and 1.83 m/s at healthy side during inspiration; More vortices happened in the hypertrophic infraturbinal side.
Conclusion: The unilateral hypertrophic infraturbinal change the normal anatomy and influence the aerodynamic of nasal cavity, which is harmful to the functions of human nasal in ventilation, temperature accommodation and olfactory sensation.