English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkoʊənə/

Noun

choana ‎(plural choanae)

1. A funnel or funnel-shaped opening; an infundibulum.
2. (anatomy, zoology) An opening towards the back of the nasal cavity; the posterior nasal aperture.
   • 1986, William E. Duellman, Biology of Amphibians, page 409,

     The choanal glands of caecilians open at the margin of the choanae, whereas those of salamanders open deep within the choanae at the margin of the olfactory epithelium.

   • 1989, Johannes Lang, P. M. Stell (translator), Clinical Anatomy of the Nose, Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses, page 103,

     Zuckerkandl (1893) gives far and away the greatest measurements for the choanae; Hopmann (1895) reported that in man the choana has a mean height of 27 mm, and a mean width of 13 mm (Merkel, 1896); in women it measures 25 x 12mm. These values agree closely with our findings.

   • 2006, J. M. Carrera, Asim Kurjak, Donald School: Atlas of Clinical Application of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, India, page 14,

     Inside of this area it is possible to identify clearly two parallel echonegative zones, which belong to the nasal cavities (choanas) and are placed on both sides of a medial structure, considerably echogenic, which corresponds to nasal bridge (Fig. 2.12.)

   • 2008, Peter-John Wormald, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, 2nd Edition, page 111,

     The bony rim of the posterior choana is located by passing the 4-mm microdebrider blade through the posterior ethmoids and into the nasopharynx. The tip of the microdebrider blade is pushed against the mucosa just above the bony choanae on the anterior face of the sphenoid.

Related terms

• choanal
• choanoid