A new approach to studying the nasal and oral breathing routes.

INTRODUCTION:Nasal obstruction is often reported by patients. It is a consequence of a subjective feeling of impaired airflow through the nasal cavity. Currently, objective measures of nasal patency rates are very limited. Functional tests only analyze nasal breathing; they do not simultaneously assess airflow through the mouth. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to present a new functional test that assesses a single-stage nasal and oral breathing route. METHODS:The NOFA (Nasal-Oral Flow Analyzer) is a three-channel flow meter used to perform continuous and simultaneous measurements of nasal and oral respiratory parameters. We present the application of the device and the proposed study protocol. RESULTS:The respiratory tracks of four selected patients are presented. Different breathing patterns are visible: exclusive nasal, exclusive oral, and mixed nasal-oral ventilation pattern. CONCLUSIONS:The preliminary results suggest the potential use of the NOFA in ENT practice. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the usefulness of this device in the diagnosis of patients with upper respiratory tract disorders.