CHOANAL ATRESIA

Course overview

THE NASAL CHOANAE ARE PAIRED OPENINGS THAT CONNECT THE NASAL CAVITY WITH THE NASOPHARYNX. CHOANAL ATRESIA IS A CONGENITAL CONDITION IN WHICH THESE OPENINGS ARE OCCLUDED BY MEMBRANOUS SOFT TISSUE, BONE, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH DUE TO FAILED RECANALIZATION OF THE NASAL FOSSAE DURING FETAL DEVELOPMENT. IF UNILATERAL, IT PRESENTS WITH UNILATERAL MUCOPURULENT DISCHARGE. IF BILATERAL, THE NEONATE IS UNABLE TO BREATHE. SINCE NEWBORNS ARE OBLIGATE NASAL BREATHERS, ESTABLISHING AN AIRWAY IS AN ACUTE OTOLARYNGOLOGIC EMERGENCY. THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM SHOULD PROMPTLY RECOGNIZE THIS CONDITION TO AVOID SEVERE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY.