Acquired posterior choanal stenosis and atresia: management of this unusual complication after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To report on acquired posterior choanal stenosis and atresia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
Four patients with acquired bilateral choanal atresia and 2 with severe unilateral choanal stenosis in the posterior choanae were identified after treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with radiotherapy. The mean age was 42 years (range, 29 to 48 years). Two patients had stage II, and 4 had stage III disease, according to Ho's classification. They all received a 66 Gy dose of external irradiation delivered to the nasopharynx, and a mean dose of 62.6 Gy to the neck. Five patients had an additional 20 Gy delivered to the parapharyngeal region, and 1 patient had intracavitatory brachytherapy of 18 Gy delivered to the nasopharynx. The mean onset of symptoms was 10.5 months (range, 2 to 40 months) postirradiation. All patients were treated by transnasal endoscopic resection. Merocel epsitaxis packing (Medtronic Xomed, Jacksonville, FL) was used to stent the nasal airway for 2 weeks postoperatively.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up was 16.2 months (range, 14 to 18 months) after surgery. Four patients (67%) were symptom-free. Two patients (33%) had unilateral restenosis in the postnasal space that required revision surgery and further nasal stenting for 2 weeks, and both were subsequently free from further restenosis. No adverse postoperative complication occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Acquired posterior choanal stenosis and atresia is an unusual long-term complication after radiotherapy that can be successfully treated with transnasal endoscopic resection. A 2-week Merocel nasal stent is recommended to prevent restenosis in the posterior choanae.
Ku
P K
PK
Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Tong
M C
MC
Tsang
S S
SS
van Hasselt
A
A
D000328:Adult; D002754:Choanal Atresia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000601:surgery; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects