Choanal Atresia

Choanal atresia is an abnormality of canalization during development of the nasal passages. It involves bone and/or soft tissue and may result in either partial (choanal stenosis) or complete obstruction of the posterior nasal airway. The most widely accepted mechanism for the development of choanal atresia is the persistence of the oronasal membrane beyond the sixth week of gestation, but abnormal migration of cephalic neural crest cells following neural tube closure also has been implicated. The incidence of choanal atresia is 1 in 7000 to 8000 live births. It is more common in females (2:1), more likely to be bony or cartilaginous than membranous (9:1), and more commonly unilateral and right-sided (2:1).