Bilateral Choanal Atresia: A Case Report of a Neonate

Abstract

The objective is to describe a rare case of bilateral Choanal atresia (CA). It is a congenital deformity of posterior nares where both nares are not patent at all or stenosed. While unilateral CA can remain unidentified for years, bilateral CA is typically detectable immediately after birth in neonates who prefer to breathe via their nose until they are four months old. An 18 days old male patient was admitted to the male surgery ward with complaints of respiratory distress and not taking feed for 2 days. The patient has been hospitalized after birth in a railway hospital and referred to a pediatric surgeon and he was diagnosed as a case of bilateral CA. During surgery, posterior nares were perforated, and dilated and stenting of posterior nares was performed with infant feeding tube no.8 with the help of a guide wire. Bilateral CA is a medical emergency that needs to be treated in newborns as early as possible. CT scan of the skull base and paranasal sinus can be helpful as a diagnostic tool in detecting the condition.
 Keywords: Choanal atresia, stenting, congenital deformity, infant feeding tube