Approaching particle deposition separation characteristics in the Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) nasal cavities with CT image-based nasal cavity and CFD-DPM simulations

Particle deposition separations in a one-sided Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) nasal cavity , before and after implant surgeries, are studied using CFD-DPM modeling in a computed tomography image-based nasal cavity geometry. PM 10 deposition fraction simulation results after implant surgery are in good quantitative agreement with the previous measurements from healthy individuals. Compared to about half of the 20 μm particles that are separated by the nasal cavity during an inhalation period, the cumulative deposition fraction of 1 μm particles is only 7.0% and 6.4% for the healthy side and ENS side, respectively, before surgery. While 10 and 20 μm particles primarily deposit in the anterior part of the middle turbinate in the healthy side before surgery, delayed deposition is observed in the posterior part of the nasal cavity in the ENS diseased side. The delayed deposition is attributed to the presence of low-velocity vortices at the inferior turbinate, allowing the particles to take a longer time to be captured. After the submucosal implant surgery, PM 10 particle deposition improves in the ENS side owing to the reduced vortex intensity and enlarged surface area, and in the healthy side owing to the balanced volumetric air flow rates between the two sides of the cavity. • Particle deposition in CT images-based nasal cavities is studied by CFD-DPM. • Particles flow into the healthy and ENS-diseased sides with the uneven airflows. • ENS side deposition is poor and delayed by low surface area, high airflow and vortex. • Implant improves deposition in ENS side by optimizing surface area and vortex. • CFD-DPM PM 10 deposition results agree quantitatively with in vivo /vitro experiments.