Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in prepubertal males: A diagnostic dilemma

Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: A Series of 96 Surgical Cases

Introduction  Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a benign vascularized tumor that affects almost exclusively male adolescents. Surgery is the treatment of choice for JNA. Objectives  The present study is a 42-year retrospective review of a series of JNA cases treated surgically without previous embolization. Methods  The present is a retrospective, descriptive study based on medical records of 96 patients with JNA who underwent microscopic or endoscopic excision without previous embolization from 1978 to 2020 in a single institution. The patients were categorized according to the Andrews et al. stage, and data were collected on age, gender, tumor staging, surgical approach, affected side, and outcome. Results  All patients were male, with an average age of 17 years. The predominant tumor stage consisted of type II, with 52.1%. A total of 33.3% of the patients were submitted to the microscopic technique and 66.7%, to the endonasal technique. The rate of intraoperative blood transfusion was of 17.7%. Conclusion  The present study reinforces that resection of JNA in various stages is viable without previous artery embolization.

Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: Outcomes Analysis Based Upon Hospital Volume

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the management of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) from a national perspective with outcomes comparison based on hospital volume.

STUDY DESIGN

Ten-year Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) data analysis.

METHODS

The PHIS database was queried for the diagnosis of JNA. Data regarding demographics, surgical approach, embolization, length of stay, charges, readmission, and revision surgery was collected and analyzed. Hospitals were classified as low volume if fewer than 10 cases and high volume if greater than or equal to 10 cases during the study period. A random effects model compared outcomes based on hospital volume.

RESULTS

A total of 287 JNA patients were identified with a mean age of 13.8 (± 2.7) years. Nine hospitals were classified as high volume, accounting for a total of 121 patients. The mean length of hospitalization, blood transfusion rate, and 30-day readmissions did not differ significantly by hospital volume. Patients cared for at high-volume institutions were less likely to require postoperative mechanical ventilation (8.3% vs. 25.0%; adjusted RR = 0.32; 95% CI 0.14-0.73; p < 0.01) or return to the operating room for residual disease than patients admitted to low-volume hospitals (7.4% vs. 20.5%; adjusted RR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.18-0.79; p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The management of JNA is complex from both an operative and perioperative management standpoint. Over the past decade, nearly half (42.2%) of JNA patients have been managed at nine institutions in the United States. These centers have significantly lower rates of postoperative mechanical ventilation and the need for revision surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 133:3216-3220, 2023.

Pterygovaginal artery as a target of embolization before endoscopic skull base surgery

BACKGROUND

The pterygovaginal artery (PtVA), a recurrent branch of the internal maxillary artery (IMA), can be a feeder of skull base tumors. Preoperative embolization can help endoscopic resection of hypervascular lesions, which is performed under a narrow surgical space with restricted instrumental maneuverability.

METHODS

We performed preoperative embolization in five cases with hypervascular skull base lesions supplied by the PtVA, four of which were resected via endoscopic endonasal approach. In two cases, selective PtVA embolization through the distal IMA was successfully conducted.

RESULTS

In all the cases, intraoperative bleeding during endoscopic resection was easily controlled. The medial and lateral origins of the PtVA from the IMA were demonstrated by cone-beam CT images reconstructed from three-dimensional rotational angiography, and anastomoses around the eustachian tube and soft palate were visualized by superselective angiography.

CONCLUSIONS

The PtVA embolization can be an effective strategy before endoscopic skull base tumor resection. When embolizing through the PtVA, clinicians should be aware of its anatomical variations and dangerous anastomoses. Understanding the surrounding angioarchitecture by angiographic techniques helps ensure safe embolization.

Combined endoscopic and transoral resection of a high-staged juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: A pictorial essay

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas (JNAs) are highly vascular and benign tumors that can expand into the skull base. Delay of treatment can result in intracranial invasion, requiring extensive open approaches such as a facial translocation, maxillary swing, or an orbitozygomatic craniotomy. We describe a single-stage, combined endoscopic and transoral approach on a 14-year-old male with extensive high-stage dumbbell-shaped JNA involving the infratemporal fossa, orbit, buccal space, and intracranial extension into Meckel's cave. Successful resection of the tumor and good postoperative outcome was achieved. A transoral approach allowed for greater access to the infratemporal fossa, where endonasal resection was not possible, allowing for improved visualization, greater traction, and dissection. In select highly staged JNAs with significant lateral extension and intracranial involvement, successful and complete resection may be accomplished with this combined approach. Utilization of this approach avoids the morbidity of more invasive open approaches.