Congenital Choanal Atresia

Congenital atresia of the choanae, which form the communication between the nose and the pharynx, is an uncommon, though not extremely rare, anomaly. The first clinically diagnosed and treated case of choanal atresia was reported by Emmert in 1853 [8]. A classic description of bilateral choanal atresia was given by Ronaldson in 1880 [17]. In 1945 Durward et al. [7] compiled some 400 cases in a report containing 350 references. Although in the last 10–15 years choanal atresia has received increasing attention, the nasal passages of newborns are not routinely examined and unless marked symptoms of respiratory obstruction are present, early diagnosis of atresia may well be overlooked.