Perioperative problems and treatment of a teenager with a juvenile angiofibroma refusing blood transfusion

Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: Combined Approach for Excision, Transpalatal and Endoscopic; A New Perspective

Juvenile angiofibroma is a rare, highly vascular, histologically benign but locally invasive tumour, affecting predominantly male adolescents. To describe our experience in diagnosis of angiofibroma and treatment by combined endoscopic and transpalatal route. We analysed a case series of 50 patients of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in Fisch stages I and II who presented at our institute during a period of four years 2011-2014, their clinical presentation, their treatment by combined transpalatal and endoscopic approach, intraoperative and post operative course, complications and tumour recurrence. Patients were aged 8-26 years. All patients were treated surgically by combined approach endoscopic and transpalatal. The mean operation time was 90 min, and the mean bleeding volume was 300 ml. Only 8 % patients came with recurrence and only 10 % came with palatal perforation (fistula formation). With gratifying results we advocate this novel technique for the treatment of early to intermediate JNA.

Complications of Midface Swing for Management of Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma

INTRODUCTION

Access osteotomies provide direct exposure to inaccessible areas of the deep part of craniofacial skeleton for treating pathologies involving vital structures. The use of maxillary swing approach for gaining wide access to the nasopharynx, infratemporal fossa, parapharyngeal space, middle fossa of skull base. Though the maxillary swing requires transfacial incision for wide exposure but with careful handling the scar is minimum and this approach can be used in young people.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Surgical resection is carried out following preoperative embolization of the involved feeder vessels. Total 16 cases were considered for this study.

RESULTS

This article highlights cases successfully treated in our institution, the mention of complications associated with the cases along with management.

CONCLUSION

Maxillary swing is a good approach for getting access to the deep pathologies like JNA.

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: current treatment modalities and future considerations

Juvenile angiofibroma (JNA) is a relatively uncommon, highly vascular and benign tumor that presents most commonly in adolescent males. Symptoms may persist from months to years and often times, these tumors are asymptomatic until they increase and encroach on critical structures. Because of technological advances both in surgery and radiology, management of JNA patients has been refined. With the advent of more sophisticated capabilities such as CT, MRI, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic guidance systems as well as advanced embolization techniques, these tumors can be diagnosed and managed more effectively.Patients with juvenile angiofibroma (JNA) are typically silent for years and often present with epistaxis, nasal obstruction, facial numbness, rhinorrhea, ear popping, sinusitis, cheek swelling, visual changes and headaches. In addition to these symptoms, up to one-third of patients with this condition may present with proptosis or other orbital involvement, which are late symptoms and findings.Most physicians agree that surgery is the primary treatment modality for the early-stage disease process. However, controversy arises regarding the best treatment when a patient presents with more locally advanced disease involving widespread cranial-based extension or intracranial involvement which may necessitate a combination of treatment modalities including surgery and postoperative radiation.With the advancement of endoscopic surgery, there have been a number of cases reporting the value of its use. The purpose of this review, however, will address not only endoscopic alternatives, but will discuss other treatment options as reported in the literature. Robotic surgery of the skull base for JNA is something to expect for the future.Finally, with the advent of IMRT and an image-guided robotic radiotherapy delivery system, some researchers speculate that this will result in less objections for radiation in general and certainly less reservations for the use radiotherapy in certain circumstances, i.e. patient refusal of surgery or extensive non-resectable or recurrent JNA tumors.