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During deep inspiration through a single nasal passage a maximum airflow is reached when the nasal valve appears to be collapsed. This is due to a Starling-resistor effect. A nasal model demonstrates equations for measuring the critical transmural pressure of collapse for the nasal valve, and the resistance upstream and downstream from this point. The alar muscles can influence the Starling-resistor segment. The point of first collapse tends to differ among normal subjects and in patients with breathing problems. In a study, 27 normal subjects and 17 patients with symptoms showed statistically significant differences in the maximum flows, critical transmural pressures, and in the effect of an epinephrine nasal spray. In seven of the people in the symptom group, the symptoms commenced or were aggravated after a rhinoplastic procedure, showing that consideration of the function of the nasal valve is important in nasal surgery.
G. Patrick Bridger (Tue,) studied this question.