A Meta Analysis of Endoscopic Surgical Management of Choanal Atresia with and without Stent

Abstract Background Congenital choanal atresia is a rare abnormality, affecting approximately 1 in 7000–8000 newborns, with a female predominance. In congenital choanal atresia, the widened vomer fuses with the atretic plate, resulting in an hourglass configuration of the nasopharynx and the choanal region. Materials and Methods This meta analysis included 17 studies all were published between 2016 and 2021. Two different techniques, endoscopic management with and without stents, this study demonstrated success with no stent approach and lower rate of re stenosis when compared to stent used approach, however there are some indications and benefits of using stents. Results For our knowledge this is the second systematic review and metaanalysis to report the pooled success of endoscopic repair of choanal atresia with and without the use of nasal stents. Analysis of 5 studies that included 142 patients who were not stented demonstrated that the weighted pooled proportion of successful surgery was higher and significantly different when compared with three studies that evaluated 57 patients who were stented 86% (79%, 92%) vs 61% (40%, 81%). From an analysis of nine comparative studies including 405 patients Overall odds ratio (95% CI) = 3.56 (2.10, 6.05) with unimportant heterogeneity across studies (I-squared = 37%, Cochrane Q p = 0.12) favoring no stenting over stenting. Conclusion Success rates for management without stents is higher than using stents. The use of nasal stents may be associated with more frequent and more severe complications. Perioperative adjuncts such as nasal stenting should be considered in the context of the individual patient and surgeon preference. If the surgeon decides to stent, a duration of 1 week or shorter may be associated with better surgical outcomes; however, the evidence is limited.