Choanal Atresia Repair

There are different surgical approaches your child’s surgeon may use for choanal atresia repair, depending on your child’s specific needs:

• Endoscopic approach: This is the most common method and is performed through the nostrils using small instruments and a camera
• Open approach: This method is rarely needed and is usually reserved for more complex cases

Choanal atresia repair can provide important benefits for your child’s health and daily comfort, including:

• Restoring normal airflow through the nose
• Improved airflow can make breathing easier and support better feeding, especially for infants

• Scar tissue can form during healing, which may narrow the nasal passage again and require additional treatment
• Some children may experience nosebleeds or develop an infection, which the care team will watch for closely and treat if needed

During choanal atresia repair, the surgeon carefully opens your child’s nasal airway while your child is safely asleep under general anesthesia. The surgeon removes the extra bone or tissue blocking the back of the nose to allow normal airflow. In some cases, small temporary tubes called stents are placed to help keep the airway open as it heals.