Juvenile angiofibromas: a 40-year surgical experience.

A series of 22 patients with histologically confirmed angiofibroma were treated primarily by surgical removal at the University of Freiburg ENT clinic during the 40-year period, 1946-1986. These tumors were staged according to size and extension on the basis of roentgenographic and surgical findings. Specific analysis of the operative approaches and recurrence rate by stage are included. Recurrent or residual disease was handled by surgical excision, irradiation, embolization, or a combination of these methods. The complication and morbidity rates were extremely low, while the mortality rate was zero. The tumor specimens received from the last 5 patients were evaluated for the presence of sex hormone receptors. No specific estrogen, progesterone or androgen receptors were detected in these tissues.