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Flow Mechanisms in the Human Olfactory GrooveNumerical Simulation of Nasal Physiological Respiration During Inspiration, Expiration, and Sniffing
Shigeru Ishikawa, MD, PhD;
Toshio Nakayama, PhD;
Masahiro Watanabe, PhD;
Teruo Matsuzawa, PhD
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009;135(2):156-162.
Objectives To visualize the velocity and the streamline of physiological unsteady nasal flow and sniffing using the computational fluid dynamics method and to compare the inspiratory phase, expiratory phase, and sniffing flow patterns of the olfactory area.
Design An anatomically correct 3-dimensional nasal and pharyngeal cavity was constructed from computed tomographic images of a healthy adult nose and pharynx. The unsteady state Navier-Stokes and continuity equations were solved numerically on inspiratory and expiratory nasal flow and sniffing.
Setting Numerical simulation application.
Main Outcome Measures The detailed velocity distribution and streamline distribution of nasal airflow were visualized using the computational fluid dynamics method (an imaging technology for regional flow factors [velocity and streamline]).
Results The inspiratory flow passes through a wider olfactory area than the expiratory flow, and the sniffing flow passes through the widest olfactory area without increasing the velocity of the airflow. In addition, a recirculating flow strongly promotes olfactory function.
Conclusion The computational fluid dynamics model allows for the investigation of the flow mechanisms in the human olfactory groove.
Author Affiliations: Department of Otolaryngology, Kanazawa Municipal Hospital, Kanazawa, Japan (Dr Ishikawa); Intelligent Fluid System Division, Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan (Dr Nakayama); and Center for Information Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Japan (Drs Watanabe and Matsuzawa).
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