Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma presenting as a facial swelling. A case report

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a rare benign neoplasm occurring almost exclusively in adolescent males. When it is confined to the nasopharynx, surgery is often curative. In 20% of cases, there is intracranial extension, and radiotherapy may be used to avoid the risk of life-threatening haemorrhage. The authors report an unusual case which presented with a swelling of the cheek and an abducens nerve palsy. The lesion extended from the nasopharynx across the pterygomaxillary fissure, as well as intracranially. Radiotherapy was given, and the patient remains disease-free after one year.