Abstract
Aim: Choanal atresia is an uncommon nasal malformation, that it could be fatal when it is bilateral. Since its first description, diagnosis means and treatment’s approaches have been evolved. We aim through our study to discuss the outcomes of the transnasal approach in the management of choanal atresia and assess factors related to restenosis.
Methods: We performed a retrospective charts’ review of 29 patients data with the diagnosis of choanal atresia, during 14-years long period (from January 2002 to December 2015).
Results: The mean age of patient was 10 years. We observed a female predominance. Neonatal respiratory distress revealed the choanal obliteration in four cases. The choanal atresia was unilateral complete in 21 patients (72%), incomplete in two patients (6%) and bilateral in six patients (20.6%). Choanal atresia was osseous in four cases (17.3%), membranous in three cases (10.3%) and mixed in 16 cases (55.1%). The overall success rate after a first intervention was 62%; it reached 85% after a second intervention. The analytical study showed that the age under 3 years was significantly correlated with a risk of restenosis (p=10-3). There was a tendency for recurrence in patients with associated malformations with no significant risk (p=0.16). No significant relationship was found between stenting and success rate (p=0.12).
Conclusion: The success of CA repair depends significantly on the age of the child. Other factors such as bilateral form, postoperative stenting and associated malformations seem to upper the risk of restenosis.
Key words: choanal atresia, CT scan, endoscopy, nasal obstruction.
