Rhinomanometric evaluation of the improved mechanical therapeutic nasal dilator in patients with anterior nasal obstruction.

The effectiveness of the Improved Mechanical Therapeutic Nasal Dilator (IMTND) was evaluated rhinomanometrically in 33 patients (mean age: 26 years; range 18-68 years) with anterior nasal obstruction. Using anterior rhinomanometry the patients were observed to have a mean total resistance of 0.376 Pa/cm3/s (range: 0.16-0.87 Pa/cm3/s). There was a significant drop in the inspiratory nasal resistance by 26% after the insertion of the IMTND in the nostrils (p < 0.001). Following decongestion with 1% phenylephrine the resistance decreased by 41%. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Insertion of the IMTND in the decongested nostrils resulted in even higher and significant decrease in the nasal resistance by 59% (p < 0.001).