Beyond the Blockage: Unveiling Diagnosis and Management of Choanal Atresia—A Case Series

Choanal atresia is a rare congenital disorder characterised by anatomical closure of the posterior choana in the nasal cavity due to failed recanalization during foetal development. The main aim of our study is to focus on our experience with choanal atresia and its management. In this study, we are discussing the prospective study of 12 cases of choanal atresia that came to a tertiary hospital from July 2017 to July 2022. All 12 choanal atresia cases underwent thorough evaluation, including history, blood investigations, nasal endoscopy, and CT scanning. Intra-nasal endoscopic choanoplasty with stenting was performed on all patients, followed by a 2-year follow-up, except for one case that missed follow-up after 6 months. All 12 cases were female, with their ages varying from newborn to 4 months old. In our study, 75% were unilateral and 25% were bilateral cases from newborn to 4 months old. The right was more prevalent in unilateral choanal atresia. The mixed type was the most commonly observed. The most common symptom was difficulty breathing and a running nose. All cases achieved an adequate patent airway. No intraoperative complications were noted in any case. All cases of choanal atresia can be diagnosed by a cold spatula test, failure to pass an intra-nasal catheter, and a CT scan is confirmatory. Surgical correction with endoscopic intranasal choanoplasty and stenting has less morbidity, a high success rate, and a lower recurrence rate.