[Choanal atresia an institutional review].

UNLABELLED: Choanal atresia is a rare congenital disease, it occurs in 1/8000 live newborns.

AIM OF THE STUDY: retrospective review of patients with choanal atresia treated at the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology of Medical University in Lublin. Twenty-two children were evaluated, 16 females, 6 males, age range from 6th day to 11th year of life, operated between 2004 and 2009. We analized: age of the parents, mothers diseases during pregnancy, place of live, type of atresia, associated abnormalities, age of children at time of surgery, results of treatment. The age of parents didn't differ significantly from the mean age of parents of children without abnormality. Choanal atresia was bilateral in 10 patients (45%), unilateral in 12 cases (55%)--right-sided in 75% and left-sided in 3 children. The membranous barrier was stated in 60.7%, bone in 25%, and mixed in 14.7%. Choanal atresia was an isolated disease in 12 patients, and in 10 it was associated with other abnormalities. The most common were: central nervous system abnormalities (5 children), heart defect (5), facial dysmorphy (4), hearing loss only in 2 cases. All patients were operated with transnasal technique with stents placement for 6-8 weeks period. The necessity of repleacing the stents occurred in 4 patients because of tendency of the granulation. These problems were absent in patients who were operated during the newborn period. Undoubtedly, the transnasal technique is a procedure by choice, decision, to place a stent or not, depend on the experience of the surgeon and his/her own results.