Treatment strategy for iatrogenic nasal vestibular stenosis in young children

Iatrogenic nasal vestibular stenosis is an uncommon complication of supportive care in neonates. There is minimal literature describing this entity; previous treatment strategies focus on correction with local flaps or skin grafts. We describe symptomatic iatrogenic vestibular stenosis treated successfully with endoscopic lysis of synechiae and nasal stenting. Three children with nasal stenosis were identified from 2003 to 2004 at a large academic tertiary care medical center. All patients were born premature (25-34 weeks). Two developed vestibular stenosis after extended use of nasal CPAP; one developed unilateral nasal stenosis 4 years after use of a nasal feeding tube. Age at time of surgical repair was from 4 months to 5 years. Two patients (4 and 5 months) presented with nasal airway obstruction, and difficulty breathing during feeding. One patient (5 years) presented with right-sided nasal obstruction and nasal whistling. Endoscopic lysis of nasal synechiae and release of vestibular scarring was performed in all three cases without complication. Nasal stenting with a modified endotracheal tube was used for 4-6 weeks. Topical Mitomycin C was utilized in two patients. All patients had complete resolution of airway symptoms after stent removal and all three remain asymptomatic 1 year after repair with no recurrence of vestibular stenosis. Nasal vestibular stenosis is a rare complication following supportive care in premature infants, causing airway and feeding difficulties in the obligate nasal breather. This can be successfully corrected with endoscopic repair, nasal stenting and application of Mitomycin C.