Anesthetic management of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma resection.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the anesthetic implications of the surgical resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA).

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University-affiliated community hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten patients undergoing resection of JNA.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

Data from the records of 10 patients undergoing resection of JNA were reviewed and analyzed with regard to demographics, history of the disease, characteristics of the tumor, surgical resection techniques, and anesthetic management. Patients were age 11 to 29 years. All had nasal obstruction as presenting symptom. There was no intracranial invasion. Eight tumors were resected via a lateral rhinotomy and 2 endoscopically (after embolization of the tumor's feeding vessels). Duration of surgery was 6 +/- 1 hours for rhinotomy and 6 and 6.5 hours for the 2 endoscopic resections. Anesthesia was induced in a rapid-sequence manner. Arterial and central venous catheters were placed in all patients. Mean arterial pressure was targeted to 55 to 65 mmHg by using increasing concentrations of isoflurane. The estimated blood loss was 4,800 +/- 1,600 mL and blood replacement was 3,200 +/- 1,400 mL in the first group. The 2 other patients lost 600 mL and 1,500 mL. Blood replacement in this group was 0 and 700 mL respectively. No mortality or major morbidity occurred.

CONCLUSION

Resection of JNA should be considered a major procedure with many anesthetic challenges. Isoflurane may be employed to provide deliberate hypotension.