1 The abbreviation "CHARGE" characterizes the association of coloboma, heart anomalies,
choanal atresia, and retardation of growth, genital and ear anomalies.
The parents' wish was to attempt the
choanal atresia repair first, with the understanding that if it was unsuccessful, tracheostomy tube placement would likely be required in order for the infant to leave the hospital.
Tucker K and Lipson A:
Choanal atresia as a feature of ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting (EEC) syndrome: a further case.
Computed tomography (CT) revealed that the distress was indeed caused by a bilateral mixed bony and membranous
choanal atresia (figure 1, A), a finding that was confirmed by nasal endoscopy Figure 1.
The clinical presentation of
choanal atresia varies between unilateral and bilateral disease.
In this study, 11 patients had 16 choanal lesions; 9 were
choanal atresia (4 patients had bilateral atresia and one had unilateral); and 7 were choanal stenosis (one patient had bilateral stenosis and five patients had unilateral disease).
There were no reported cases of NTDs, orofacial clefts, or
choanal atresia in the TCE or PCE areas over the 18-year study period.
Unilateral
choanal atresia may go unrecognised until adulthood, as in our patient, when she presented with rhinorrhea and unilateral recurrent nasal obstruction.
The capability of gastric acid to reach as far cephalad as the nasopharynx was demonstrated in the study of bilateral
choanal atresia repair by Beste et al.
Other causes include
choanal atresia or stenosis, nasal septal deviation, enlarged tongue, and facial abnormalities, such as those seen in patients with Crouzon's disease (craniofacial dysostosis) or trisomy 21.
This drug has been shown to prevent scar tissue formation after glaucoma filtration surgery, canine subglottic surgery, pediatric
choanal atresia repair, rabbit maxillary antrostomy surgery, and after tracheal stenosis repair.
23) Holland and McGuirt reported good results in treating
choanal atresia with a 3-minute application of 0.
