[The influence of posture on nasal geometry].

To investigate the effect of posture on nasal cavity geometry, nasal cavity geometry were measured by acoustic rhinometry in 35 healthy adults (17 males and 18 females, 26-50 years old, mean age 32 years) after 5 min in changing postures of head and body. The minimum cross-sectional area and volume between the nostril and 8 cm posteriorly were measured on both sides. When changing from sitting to lateral recumbent with the wider side of the nasal cavity downwards both total volume and total minimum cross-sectional area decreased 18%, volume and minimum cross-sectional area of the wider sides showed that decreased 32% and 26%. When changing from lateral recumbent with the wider side of the nose downwards to lateral recumbent with the narrower side downwards, volume and minimum cross-sectional area of the wider sides and total volume showed that increased 41%, 24% and 12%. Our findings indicate that there is a complex response of the nasal cavity mucosa to posture changing. This factor should be taken into account in rhinological studies of environmental, clinical and pharmacological conditions.