Acute respiratory distress in the neonatal period is not uncommon. Such problems may take origin from congenital malformations, atelectasis, aspiration, hyaline membrane disease, or an acute infectious process. Less common causes might include choanal atresia and tumors. Nasopharyngeal tumors are rare in the newborn infant and polypoid lesions producing acute respiratory distress are even more uncommon. Distress-producing pedunculated growths have been reported in the esophagus, oropharynx, pharynx, and nasopharynx.1-5 These may intermittently occlude the larynx to produce sudden life-threatening obstruction. This is a report of a recent such case which proved to be due to a leftsided nasopharyngeal pedunculated angiofibromatous polyp.
Report of a Case
This 3-day-old white male infant was admitted to the hospital with a history of feeding difficulty since birth. He was the product of a full-term uncomplicated pregnancy and spontaneous vaginal delivery. The birth weight was 3,134 gm (6 lb 14½ oz). There was no