CFD simulation of nasal airflow: Towards treatment planning for functional rhinosurgery

Though treatment methods in ear nose and throat surgery have constantly improved over time, the prediction of a successful individual therapy under consideration of regular nasal airflow remains a challenging task. Airflow simulations based on computational fluid dynamics are presented for a highly detailed anatomy of a nasal airway including frontal and paranasal sinuses, being reconstructed from tomographic data. The simulation of complex airflow characteristics with regard to individual anatomy enables us to study the physiology and pathophysiology of nasal breathing, thus being able to support treatment planning in functional rhinosurgery.