General Medical Information

Nasal Cavum

Thomas V. Mccaffrey

The nasal cavum is the region of the nasal airway posterior to the piriform aperture. The resistance of this segment of the nasal airway is determined primarily by the degree of engorgement of the erectile tissues of the turbinates and the septum. However, the relative contribution of this segment of the airway to total nasal resistance is small. Many studies have shown that the greatest contribution of nasal airway resistance is made by the anterior nasal airway, even in the state of congestion. Acoustic rhinometry has shown that the tip of the inferior turbinate narrows the nasal airway just posterior to the nasal valve. It is here that engorgement of the erectile tissue of the turbinate has the greatest influence on the resistance of the nasal airway.