Radiological case of the month. Case 1. Anterior nasal stenosis as a cause of neonatal nasal airway obstruction.

Abstract

A 4-WEEK-OLD girl was brought to the clinic because of difficulty in breathing and occasional perioral cyanosis that occurred at rest or while sucking. The cyanotic episodes disappeared when she cried. There was no air passage through the right nostril and limited air passage on the left side. A 5F catheter could not be advanced through either nostril. The patient was referred for roentgenographic evaluation of her nasopharynx ( Figure ). Denouement and Discussion Anterior Nasal Stenosis as a Cause of Neonatal Nasal Airway Obstruction The neonate and young infant are obligate nasal breathers until the age of 2 to 3 months. As a consequence, neonatal nasal obstruction may represent a potentially serious and life-threatening condition. Congenital pyriform aperture stenosis is an uncommon cause of nasal obstruction in the newborn. Presentation is similar to the clinical picture as seen in the more commonly encountered entity of choanal atresia, ie, paradoxic cyanosis