title: Balloon dilation for management of choanal atresia and stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe our use of balloon dilation to repair choanal atresia in a series of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent repair of choanal atresia using dilation with high pressure, non-compliant airway balloons between January 2009 and September 2010. For primary cases, balloon dilation was used in conjunction with transnasal endoscopic puncture, and repair of bony stenosis with backbiting forceps and microdebrider drill.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5 patients underwent balloon dilation repair of choanal atresia or stenosis. 4 patients presented for primary repair, with a mean age of 2.9 months. 1 patient presented at 10 years of age for revision repair several years after previous attempts performed elsewhere. The average number of procedures was 3.6, with an average of 2 balloon dilations. There were no complications stemming from balloon dilation. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 24 months. All patients demonstrated choanal patency on last follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a novel use of high pressure, non-compliant balloons. We found success in dilating membranous stenoses, post-repair granulation, and scar tissue in revision cases. Balloon dilation is an effective adjuvant tool for use in the repair of choanal atresia and stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, United States.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bedwell
authors.forename: Rahul K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bauman
authors.forename: George H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Zalzal
authors.forename: Diego A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Preciado
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002754:Choanal Atresia / Q000628:therapy*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies