Which of the following terms refers to the inability to breathe through the nasal passages due to obstruction?

The term that describes the inability to breathe through the nasal passages due to obstruction is choanal atresia. This condition occurs when the back of the nasal cavity is blocked, typically by an abnormality of the tissue that connects the nasal cavity to the throat. This obstruction can affect newborns significantly, as they rely primarily on nasal breathing.

Nasal atresia, while similar in terms of obstructive features, primarily refers to the absence or closure of the nostrils and does not encompass obstructions further back in the nasal passage that choanal atresia addresses. Rhinorrhea refers to a runny nose, often associated with infections or allergies, and sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses, typically due to infection or allergies, not solely an obstruction of the nasal passages. Therefore, choanal atresia is the most accurate term to convey the specific mechanism of obstruction preventing nasal breathing.