Modeling of Human Maxillary Sinus Nitric Oxide Transport

High concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) have previously been measured in human maxillary sinuses, but the transport rates between the sinus and the nose during normal breathing have not been quantified. In this study, NO transport has been investigated using published NO concentrations and production rates, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and first-order modeling in stylised physiological, pathological and post-surgical geometries. The results indicate that physiological sinus geometries cannot supply all the NO found in the nasal cavity. Pathological and post-surgical geometries have higher NO transport and lower steady-state NO concentrations than physiological geometries, but no difference was found between the two surgical techniques considered (inferior and middle meatal antrostomy). All the steady state concentrations are also above the level required for bacteriostatic effects.