1 Department of Pediatrics, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, 3820 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, California 90807
I was interested to read of Dr. Reisner's test for choanal atresia in the July issue of Pediatrics (42:216, 1968). My newborn examinations include listening to airflow through each naris with the edge of the stethoscope bell pressed against the columella to exclude sound from the other side. This requires no additional equipment and little time; however, I question if my method, or Dr. Reisner's, would detect choanal stenosis as described by Van Leeuwen and Glenn (Pediatrics, 41: 147, 1968).