2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Assessing EtCO2 Levels Exhibited in Nose Deformation

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-19-2024

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Erin Mannen

Abstract

The nose is a primary system for respiration, acting as airway filtration and thermal regulation. Obstructed breathing during sleep creates a challenge for nasal respiration during the night, affecting nearly 24% of the population between ages 30 to 60 years old. Neonates and infants have underdeveloped nasal cavities which cause higher nasal resistance resulting in less airflow. EtCO2 levels were measured from six participants in four explicit nose deformations, defined as right ala closed, left ala closed, the tip of the nose pushed upwards, and the tip of the nose pressed downwards. Peak force was also recorded in Newtons for each stage. Tip-down orientation was found to have significant correlation to breathing patterns (p = 0.01) as all participants experienced lower CO2 levels during this stage, indicating that less air is being exhaled from the body. Tip-down orientation also had the largest average force reading (22.23 N) compared to the other stages. The average weight of a human head is roughly 5 kg (49.05 N), denoting that approximately 45% of the head weight is being exerted on the nose in this position. Future work should include analysis of nasal characteristics and their effect on deformation.

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