P. Contencin et al., Nasal fossae dimensions in the neonate and young infant - A computed tomographic scan study, ARCH OTOLAR, 125(7), 1999, pp. 777-781
Objective: To determine normal values in the size of nasal fossae to better
delineate the concept of nasal stenosis in young infants with nasal obstru
ction and without choanal atresia.
Design: Case series.
Setting: Referral center.
Patients: Consecutive sample of 62 infants (aged 0 to 6 months) with no cra
niofacial anomalies who underwent conventional axial computed tomography sc
ans for a neurologic disorder.
Intervention: From computer-stored images, the slices taken at the level of
the nasal fossae floor and those just above were examined. The length and
10 measurements of the width of the nasal fossae were used to determine nor
mal values.
Results: Most measurements, even the length of the nasal fossae, were posit
ively correlated to the age of the patient (R =.44). In the age 0 to 2 mont
hs group, the median length was 29.35 mm (range, 21.3-40.4 mm). It was 31.5
mm in the age 4 to 6 months group (range, 25.3-36.9 mm). The anterior bony
aperture seems to be the most accurate distance for the assessment of neon
atal nasal fossae stenosis. Its median width was 13.5 mm (range, 8.8-17.2 m
m). Large variations characterized the dimensions of the middle nasal fossa
e and the choanae: median values were 7.6 mm (range, 4.9-13.5 mm) and 14.3
mm (range, 10.8-19.0 mm), respectively.
Conclusions: This study defined the normal range of variation for the main
dimensions of the nasal fossae in the horizontal plane. These can be used a
s a basis for determining nasal stenosis in cases of neonatal obstruction.