[Juvenile angiofibroma]

Juvenile angiofibroma is a rare, benign, rich vascular tumor, and approximately one new case is diagnosed in Denmark each year. It sits in the foramen sphenopalatinum and occurs in boys from 14 to 25 years of age. The most frequent initial symptoms are nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Through the years, the treatment of juvenile angiofibroma has included many methods, including surgical excision, electrocoagulation, interstitial or external radiation therapy, cryosurgery, hormone administration and chemotherapy. Radiation, chemotherapy and surgery have proven to be the most effective treatments. The most serious complication has been preoperative bleeding, but since the introduction of preoperative particle embolization the blood loss has been greatly reduced. Today, surgery preceded by embolization is the primary standard treatment. It is important to diagnose the tumor early, when radical surgery is easier and the frequency of recurrence is lower.