Coclia Nasal Function

Medline The Cottle maneuver is a classic technique used to diagnose an internal nasal valve disorder. While the patient inspires quietly, the cheek is pulled laterally, thus simulating widening the cross-sectional area of the internal nasal valve. If the patient notes an appreciable improvement in breathing with this maneuver, the Cottle sign is positive. This generally has been interpreted as an indication for spreader graft placement to improve the internal valve angle and nasal function. A false-positive Cottle sign sometimes may be observed in patients with alar collapse, with a false-negative result occasionally observed in patients with scarring in the valve region.