Experimental Studies of the Gas Exchange through the Ostium of the Maxillary Sinus

Abstract

Model experiments were performed in order to investigate the gas exchange in the maxillary sinus. The exponent Q₂ in the equation illustrating the gas exchange through the maxillary ostium was analysed in relation to the volume of the maxillary sinus, the size of the ostium, the nasal ventilation, the nasal respiratory pressure and the respiratory work. The experiments showed that the gas exchange, expressed as the exponent Q₂, is inversely proportional to the size of the maxillary sinus, and principally directly proportional to the cross-sectional area of the ostial canal. It is also principally directly proportional to the nasal ventilation and positively correlated to the nasal respiratory pressure but estimations of the effect of these two parameters are difficult to perform separately. The relation between antral gas exchange and respiratory work has been analysed more thoroughly and a linear correlation was obvious although not directly proportional, since the diffusion of gas through the ostium will occur also when the respiratory work is zero. The correlation between respiratory work and antral gas exchange is different for different sizes of the ostium. A formula for the antral gas exchange including the sinus volume, the size and length of the ostial canal, the respiratory work and the diffusion has been elaborated.