A unique intraluminal growth of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: A case report

Abstract

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare, hypervascular, benign tumor which is mainly seen among male adolescents. The tumor typically originates from the sphenopalatine fossa, but could spread through natural foramens and fissures. There are some reports of atypical growth of this tumor in literature but the intraluminal growth, which could be seen in paraganglioma and glomus tumors, has not reported yet in angiofibroma. In this article we present a case of extensive angiofoibroma with intraluminal involvement of the ophthalmic vein. Our patient was a 19-year-old boy with a complaint of nasal obstruction and occasional epistaxis since a year ago, without any visual or neurologic complaints. The patient underwent an endoscopic resection of the tumor after embolization via the nasal cavity. The intraoperative findings revealed the tumor extension to the orbit, intracranial space and cavernous sinus via inferior orbital fissure. The intracranial extension of the tumor was extradural and was successfully excised without CSF leakage. An interesting finding in this patient, was an intraluminal extension of the tumor in to the ophthalmic vein, which was completely excised endoscopically. (pre and post operation pictures are available in the full text). The definitive treatment of angiofibroma is surgical excision. Different surgical approaches are used but nowadays endoscopic resection with or without pre-operative embolization is the first choice of treatment. The intraluminal growth of the tumor was also excised as a pedunculated mass separately.