Recurrent pterygo-palatal angiofibroma with intracranial extension: case report

Abstract

We report the case of a patient with recurrent pterygo-palatal angiofibroma and its treatment. A 21-year-old male patient had a long history of recurrent epistaxis with progressive nasal obstruction. He was diagnosed with an angiofibroma centered in the right pterygo-palatine fossa. Initially, he underwent surgical excision with removal of the entire tumor. The evolution was clinically good with no signs of recurrence on the cervico-facial scan of control (CT). Nine months after, he presented a reappearance of epistaxis. A cervico-facial MRI was performed and showed a recurrence of the tumor process, which this time was considered inextirpable, hence the decision to opt for radiotherapy with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). He has improved clinically with a clear reduction in tumor mass on CT scan. This technique represents an interesting alternative to overcome anatomical complexity of the region, cover the tumor and preserve the organs at risk.