Gas composition of the human nose and nasopharyngeal space.

Since it was established that middle ear (ME) gas composition is closer to venous gas composition than to air, the question arose regarding the composition of gas which enters the ME from the nasopharynx. Using a mass spectrometer, gaseous partial pressure was measured at three locations in the nose and nasopharynx of 6 volunteers. All three locations showed similar gas composition (O2 = 15.7%, CO2 = 4.5%, N2 + Ar = 79.8%) which is similar to expired air. The gas that enters the ME via the Eustachian tube is a mixture closer to the final ME gas equilibrium than is air. This minimizes the changes in steady state ME gas composition incurred by gas influx into the ME.