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Juvenile angiofibroma

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Nasal tumor; Angiofibroma - juvenile; Benign nasal tumor

Treatment:

Treatment is required if the angiofibroma is enlarging, obstructing the airway, or causing chronic nosebleeds. In some cases, no treatment is necessary.

Surgical treatment includes removal of the tumor. Removal is often difficult because the tumor is unencapsulated (not enclosed) and may be deeply invasive. Recurrence of the tumor after surgical resection is common.

Clotting of the vessels of the tumor (embolization) may cause the tumor to scar and stop bleeding. Embolization is performed by injecting a substance into the blood vessel to block blood flow through it. Embolization may be adequate by itself to correct the nosebleeds, or it may be followed by surgery to remove the tumor.

Expectations (prognosis):

Although not cancerous, angiofibromas may continue to expand. They may disappear spontaneously. There is a high rate of recurrence after surgical removal.

Complications:

• expansion of the angiofibroma to the nose, the sinuses, and other structures
• anemia from chronic blood loss
• pressure on the brain from expansion of the angiofibroma (rare)

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if repeated or frequent nosebleeds occur.

• Review Date: 8/23/2005
• Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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