Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma

-Effect of Preoperative Angiographic Embolization, Blunt Dissection and Twisting the Stem of the Tumor-

Abstract

Angiofibroma of the nasopharynx is almost always, but not exclusively, is seen in adolescent males. These lesions are histologically benign, but regarded as malignant tumors clinically because of severe nosebleeds and progressive growth in the nasopharynx.
Two patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma are described in this paper. Preoperative angiographic embolization and total removal of the tumor by twisting the stem was successfully performed in both cases.
The effect of preoperative embolization of the perfusing artery of the tumor through angiography and surgical therapy are discussed in comparison with the other patients treated in our hospital.
Blunt dissection and twisting off the tumor are effective if the tumor has a stem. Embolization of the perfusing artery is considered to be necessary before surgical removal when the tumor has a wide base, in which case removal of the tumor by twisting the stem is not possible.