Abstract:Objective To evaluate the efficacy of individually designed 3D printed nasal vestibular support expansion and conventional support expansion on the recovery of nasal ventilation function and anterior nostril morphology in nasal vestibular stenosis. Methods 73 patients with traumatic unilateral nasal vestibular stenosis were randomly divided into the control group of 35 cases (by conventional support expansion) and the experimental group of 38 cases (by 3D printed nasal vestibular support expansion). Morphological parameters and nasal airflow numerical simulation parameters were used to evaluate the local morphological and functional recovery of the nasal cavity before and after expansion treatment. Results The VAS score of subjective nasal patency and nostril symmetry satisfaction in the control group and the experimental group were both significantly improved after support expansion treatment compared with those before operation (P<0.01),the VAS score of nostril symmetry satisfaction in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P=0.007<0.01). The cross-sectional area of nasal valve in the both groups after support expansion treatment (0.86±0.29cm2 in the control group and 0.71±0.26cm2 in the experimental group) was significantly increased compared with that before operation (P<0.01), and the mean cross-sectional area of nasal valve in the control group was larger than that in the experimental group. (P=0.021<0.05). However, it showed that the Δ long-axis ratio and Δ short-axis ratio of the experimental group were both lower than those of the control group after the support expansion treatment (P<0.05). So 3D-printed nasal vestibular support was better than conventional nasal vestibular support in restoring the nostril shape. The stenotic side nasal resistance in both groups after support expansion treatment were both lower than that before operation (P<0.05). The stenotic side nasal resistance in the experimental group was smaller (P=0.011<0.05) compare to the control group, but the difference of total nasal resistance between them was not significant (P=0.64>0.05). The results showed that the intranasal airflow heating efficiency were (94.55±2.54%) in the control group and (95.26±3.21%) in experimental group after support and expansion treatment, which had a significant decrease than those before operation (95.45±2.93% in the control group and 96.14±2.63% in the experimental group) (P<0.01). However, total nasal heating efficiency and total nasal humidification efficiency did not show significant difference between two groups (P ValueNWE=0.30>0.05, P ValueNHE=0.44>0.05). Conclusion 3D printed nasal vestibular support by personalized design for postoperative support expansion on patients with anterior nostril stenosis could restore the anterior nostril normal shape, the normal nasal ventilation function and the nasal airflow temperature and humidity regulation function , it can reflect the advantages of personalized treatment and allow patients to obtain more satisfactory result. 3D printed nasal vestibular support can be used as clinical supplement for the nasal vestibular local support expansion treatment, its clinical application prospect is good.