Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: Timisoara ENT Department's experience

Endoscopic, endoscopic-assisted and open approaches in the treatment of juvenile angiofibroma: what has been new in the past decade (and 1586 cases)?

PURPOSE

Juvenile angiofibroma (JA) is a benign, but locally invasive tumor of the nasopharynx. Surgical resection of JA is performed through endoscopic (EA), endoscopic-assisted (EAA), or open approaches (OA). The management of these tumors is constantly evolving. We aimed to compare the surgical efficiency and morbidity of EA, EAA, and OA in JA treatment by conducting a systematic review of the literature published over the last 10 years.

METHODS

A systematic review of the English literature on surgical cases of JA published between 2012 and 2022 was performed. Eligible articles were analyzed for individual patient data (IPD) and aggregate patient data (APD). The primary predictor variable was the surgical approach. The primary outcome variable was recurrence rate.

RESULTS

The search retrieved 75 articles reporting 1586 JA surgical cases; 129 in IPD, and 1457 in APD data sets. Within the IPD data set, recurrence rates were significantly lower in cases completed by EA than that by OA (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in recurrence rates between the EA and EAA groups (p > 0.05). EAA had a lower recurrence rate than that of OA (p < 0.05). For the APD data set, the recurrence rate following EA was significantly lower than that following OA (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in recurrence between the EA and EAA groups (p > 0.05), and between the EAA and OA groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

EA represents the method of choice for mild and moderately advanced JA. EAA and OA still play important roles in the treatment of advanced-stage JA.

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma surgical treatment in paediatric patients

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a highly vascularised benign neoplasm of complex treatment in its surgical preparation, surgery to be performed, risks and recurrences. The aim of the study was to analyze the management and surgical treatment for the pathology of juvenile nasoangiofibroma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the clinical histories and images of the patients who underwent surgery with a pathology result of juvenile nasoangiofibroma in the period from January 2008 to December 2016.

RESULTS

Sixty-one cases were treated; all of them treated using the same surgical access by means of a Le Fort I osteotomy. All of the patients were male, with an average age of 13.3 years. The Andrew-Fish classification was used for staging the cases, most were staged as grade II and I.

CONCLUSIONS

The described approach provided extensive surgical access, which was adequate for the different stages of the tumour. It requires experience to be able to resect the tumour with the least possible bleeding.

Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings

Purpose:

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare tumor that exhibits a predictable spreading pattern. Radiologist’s prior knowledge on the tumor’s characteristics aids in establishing a diagnosis. We aimed to report the characteristic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings and the spread patterns of JNA.

Materials and methods:

We retrospectively evaluated the MRI findings and extension pathways of 6 cases of JNA.

Results:

The patients’ age ranged from 8 to 16 years and all patients were male. The tumors were classified according to the Onerci system. Tumors were largely isointense to muscle on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. All lesions had internal signal-void regions and all exhibited intense enhancement after IV contrast injection. Diffusion restriction was not an associated feature. ADC values for these tumors were high. The evaluation of the available MR angiography studies of three patients showed the blood supply to the tumor to be mainly from the internal maxillary branch of the external carotid artery. In all patients, the diagnosis was based on MR images and a surgical excision was planned.

Conclusion:

The diagnosis can be established based on the characteristic imaging findings and the clinical history without performing a biopsy.

In defence of transpalatal, transpalatal-circumaxillary (transpterygopalatine) and transpalatal-circumaxillary-sublabial approaches to lateral extensions of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Background:

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma often presents with lateral extensions. In countries with limited resources, selection of a cost-effective and least morbid surgical approach for complete excision is challenging.

Methods:

Sixty-three patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, with lateral extensions, underwent transpalatal, transpalatal-circumaxillary (transpterygopalatine) or transpalatal-circumaxillary-sublabial approaches for resection. Clinico-radiological characteristics, tumour volume and intra-operative bleeding were recorded.

Results:

The transpalatal approach was suitable for extensions involving medial part of pterygopalatine fossa; transpalatal-circumaxillary for extensions involving complete pterygopalatine fossa, with or without partial infratemporal fossa; and transpalatal-circumaxillary-sublabial for extensions involving complete infratemporal fossa, even cheek or temporal fossa up to zygomatic arch. Haemorrhage was greatest with the transpalatal-circumaxillary-sublabial approach, followed by transpalatal approach and transpalatal-circumaxillary approach (1212, 950 and 777 ml respectively). Tumour size (volume) was greatest with the transpalatal-circumaxillary approach, followed by transpalatal-circumaxillary-sublabial approach and transpalatal approach (40, 34 and 29 mm3). There was recurrence in three cases and residual disease in two cases. Long-term morbidity included small palatal perforation (n = 1), trismus (n = 1) and atrophic rhinitis (n = 2).

Conclusion:

These modified techniques, performed with endoscopic assistance under hypotensive anaesthesia, without embolisation, offer a superior option over other open procedures with regard to morbidity and recurrences.

Microspheres embolization of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in an adult

INTRODUCTION

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a benign though locally aggressive, highly vascular tumor primarily affecting adolescent males which has traditionally posed a significant intraoperative challenge during its resection due to the high risk of uncontrollable hemorrhage. Pre-operative angiographic embolization of the major feeding vessels to the tumor has become a valuable, even necessary, tool in the surgical treatment of these lesions.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

Our patient was a 32-year-old man with a chief complaint of recurrent left-sided epistaxis for one year, brisk and continuous for ten days prior to presentation, subsequently found to have a 4 cm vascular skull base tumor causing mild expansion of the pterygopalatine fossa. The patient underwent pre-operative embolization utilizing 300–500 micrometer microspheres injected into the ipsilateral maxillary artery. The following day, the patient underwent definite Stereotactical surgical resection of his JNA tumor. Estimated blood loss during the operation was 50 mL, and the patient was discharged the same day.

DISCUSSION

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas pose a significant bleeding risk for the surgeon due to their highly vascular nature. Pre-operative embolization of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas can reduce intraoperative blood loss while lessening the risk of massive hemorrhage, shortening operation times, increasing intra-operative visibility, and allowing for easier resection of lesions.

CONCLUSION

Pre-operative embolization of JNA is a safe, effective method to prevent against the risk of massive, sometimes fatal, hemorrhage that occurs with these highly vascular tumors.