Preoperative external carotid artery embolization of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma:its clinical application / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate superselective external carotid artery embolization before transnasal endoscopic resection in treating nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.Methods Superselective external carotid artery embolization was performed in 20 patients with nasopharyngeal angiofibroma one to three days before transnasal endoscopic resection was carried out.The clinical data,including the volume of blood loss during the surgery,the operative time and the complications,were retrospectively analyzed.Results Superselective external carotid artery embolization was successfully preformed in all 20 patients,which was followed by the transnasal endoscopic resection within 3 days.The average volume of blood loss during the surgery was 155 ml and the total time of operation was 75 minutes.Mild complications occurred in 6 patients after embolization,which were subsided after symptomatic management.No serious complications occurred after surgical resection.The mean hospitalization days of the patients were 3.5 days.Conclusion Preoperative superselective external carotid artery embolization of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma can markedly reduce the blood loss during surgical resection,apparently shorten the operative time and effectively lower the occurrence of complication after the operation.Superselective external carotid artery embolization combined with transnasal endoscopic resection should be regarded as an ideal therapy for nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.