Pre-operative super-selective angiography and embolization of juvenile angiofibromas utilizing the...

The primary treatment of choice in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas has been surgical resection. While this is a relatively rare tumor, it is extremely vascular and locally expansive. Although this is a histologically benign tumor, the local expansion of the lesion often extends into the sphenoid and/or pterygomaxillary fossa. A major complication of the surgical treatment of this entity has been the hemorrhage associated with the removal of this highly vascular lesion. Recently, utilizing super-selective angiography to demonstrate the feeding vessels and catheter introduced emboli prior to surgery, the surgical risk due to hemorrhage has been significantly reduced.