Nasal Airflow Changes in Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis in Human Anatomic Specimens

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have looked at the impact of dorsal preservation rhinoplasty on nasal airflow, specifically the internal nasal valve, with mixed results. OBJECTIVE: To use computational fluid dynamics to assess the impact of dorsal preservation rhinoplasty on nasal airflow in a human anatomic model. METHODS: This was a comparative study using anatomic dissection of four fresh human anatomic specimens using a cone beam CT scanner to assess various surgical interventions (septoplasty, if necessary, and dorsal preservation rhinoplasty) on nasal airflow. RESULTS: Overall, there was a trend of decreased nasal resistance across septoplasty and dorsal preservation rhinoplasty techniques. Dorsal preservation rhinoplasty decreased nasal resistance for all human anatomic specimens, except for one. CONCLUSION: There is evidence of reduction in nasal resistance in a human anatomic specimen study with dorsal preservation rhinoplasty techniques, which can vary, in part, by the orientation of upper lateral cartilage anatomy at the apical internal nasal valve.